Granger touched on a variety of topics in the interview, from what is driving trends in the orthopedic instrument market to Cretex Medical's capabilities. Highlights from the article are below.
The Growth of Single-Use Instruments
With the increasing sophistication of minimally invasive and robotic surgeries, “new types of instruments and tools are emerging,” added Granger Lubich, engineering manager for instruments for rms Company, a Cretex Medical company based in Minneapolis, Minn., that provides precision machining, additive manufacturing, and metal fabrication services for the medical device industry. “For example, there is a notable shift toward the adoption of single-use, disposable instruments and surgical kits, moving away from reusable metal tools. This move is driven by a desire to simplify the supply chain and eliminate the logistical challenges and risks of reprocessing instruments.”
Navigating a Complex Environment
Surgical instruments are subject to a variety of regulatory and end-user requirements, including cleanliness, dimensional tolerances, and even customer scrutiny. “For instance, producing an inner component for a surgical robot assembly requires a different set of requirements compared to crafting a hip broach, reamers, inserter shaft, or implant sizer/trial,” said Lubich. “Requirements would also differ between a handheld surgical tool and a power tool component. Managing these different requirements within the surgical instrument category represents a unique challenge compared to the more specialized and uniform nature of other medical devices."
The Benefits of Additive Manufacturing
“Complex instrument designs can benefit from enhancements or simplification through additive manufacturing,” said Lubich. “AM offers an opportunity to overcome design constraints associated with traditional machining methods. Less obvious advantages of additive manufacturing lie in decreasing the weight of instruments, especially considering the limitations imposed by robotics, ergonomic implications for surgical staff, or logistical considerations for reprocessing.”
You can read the full article in ODT Magazine.
Please visit the Cretex Medical Machining Page for more information about our surgical instrument capabilities.
