3D Systems announced VSP Hybrid Guides — the latest enhancement to its VSP surgical planning solutions portfolio.

These guides for maxillofacial surgeons combine the strength of titanium with the relative softness of nylon for patient-specific appliances with registration to the dentition for guide placement and surgical site visibility.

VSP Hybrid Guides capitalize on the benefits of each material. Tooth-based registration is achievable with nylon material, and the profile advantages of a rigid metallic cutting and drilling guide are preserved. The new guides are assembled with easy-to-use connection sites that are engineered to confirm a proper connection. Depending on the surgeon’s preference, patient-specific instruments can be designed that allow multiple cutting/drilling locations on a single occlusal-based guide.

A secondary benefit of using occlusal registration is the potential for a reduced guide footprint. The slimmer profile guides not only provide easier placement in areas with limited exposure but also improve a surgeon’s visibility of the surgical site.

“3D Systems and its VSP surgical planning and guides are an integral part of my ability to deliver successful outcomes for my patients undergoing corrective jaw surgery,” said Dr. Jay Neugarten, New York Center for Orthognathics and Maxillofacial Surgery. “To be able to combine two materials – nylon and titanium – to create cutting and predictive hole-drilling surgical guides that register to the dentition enables a precise and accurate surgical outcome for my patients. Using the VSP Hybrid Guides together with Stryker’s Facial iD custom plates streamlines my workflow in surgery. It’s like using a satellite navigation system compared to a paper map. This ability to seamlessly transfer my digital treatment plans to the surgical arena allows me to provide the highest level of care for my patients.”

The surgical guides are manufactured using 3D Systems’ LaserForm Ti and DuraForm ProX PA materials on the DMP Flex 350 and ProX SLS 6100 production-grade 3D printer systems. Creating patient-specific surgical guides as part of the VSP System has been shown to save surgeons and patients hours in the operating room.1

3D Systems’ VSP technology received FDA market clearance as a service-based approach to personalized surgery. The surgeon initiates the process, bringing their clinical knowledge and desired surgical plan to an online web meeting with a 3D Systems biomedical engineer to simulate and plan the surgical procedure. The outcome is a digital plan that is transferred to the operating room via accurate 3D printed patient-specific models, guides, and templates. 3D Systems has provided VSP solutions or anatomical services in more than 140,000 unique patient cases.

1. Sink J, Hamlar D, Kademani D, Khariwala SS: Computer-aided stereolithography for presurgical planning in fibula free tissue reconstruction of the mandible. J Reconstr Microsurg 28:395-404, 2012.

3D Systems
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