The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) announced that its researchers had created 3D-printed face implants for patients with Black Fungus. Based on additive manufacturing, or metal 3D printing, IIT-M has teamed up with ZorioX Innovation Labs, a start-up established by dental surgeons in Chennai, to carry out this endeavour.

Black Fungus is a medical condition that has been linked to Covid-19 patients, uncontrolled diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and other illnesses.

Approximately fifty implants have previously been performed on individuals from lower socioeconomic groups.

Zoriox Innovation participates in the surgical processes, while 3D printing and design are handled by IIT Madras. Medical-grade titanium is used to make the implants, which are frequently utilized in reconstructive surgery.

Under the #Right2Face campaign, researchers from IIT Madras are identifying patients who cannot afford expensive foreign implants and providing them for free.

The IIT Madras team claimed to be able to precisely print the implant to match the patient's face, which is an intriguing feature. The researchers use the CT data from the patients to design a customized implant that will fit the patient like a glove. According to the institute, it is one of the first to print these implants especially for patients with black fungal infections.

“Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has already emerged as a viable and cost effective, net shape manufacturing process for low volume production of complex body implants with specific custom-made designs", said Dr Murugaiyan Amirthalingam, Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, at IIT Madras.

The implants are based on additive manufacturing, or metal 3D printing, and were created by IIT in collaboration with ZorioX Innovation Labs, a start-up established by dental surgeons in Chennai.

Extensive research activities are already being carried out in IIT Madras to commercialize this technology for printing patient-specific implants in stainless steel Ti-6Al-4V and Co-Cr-Mo alloys,” said Dr Amirthalingam.

“Using unique in-house algorithms, a patient’s MRI/CT data is converted to printable CAD format and custom implants are printed from medical-grade titanium using an indigenously-built laser powder bed facility in IIT Madras,” Dr Amirthalingam added.