The Future of Medicine: A Conversation about AM in Healthcare with Mark Morrison, Smith & Nephew

Additive Snack · 10 Oct 2023 · 23m · Episode 4

What this episode covers

Mark Morrison, Senior Research Manager at Smith & Nephew, discusses the integration of additive manufacturing (AM) into the company's orthopedic product lines, highlighting the production of hundreds of thousands of patient-specific instruments and the shift toward porous structures for cementless fixation. He explains that while AM offers significant design freedom for implants, challenges remain regarding cost, quality assurance, and the regulatory path with the FDA. Morrison emphasizes that AM is a complementary tool rather than a replacement for conventional manufacturing, noting the industry's transition from early instruments to second-generation patient-specific implants.

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