3D Printing in Medicine and Its Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Book excerpt: This book describes how “makers” with no medical experience became and remain clinically important because they utilized 3D printing to produce supplies for healthcare, including medical and non-medical devices, and to improve the quality of life for patients with COVID-19 and those who care for them. It shows how 3D printing became vital during the pandemic due to its broad availability and the inherently digital nature of the work that enables thriving digital exchanges and work in isolation. Subsequent chapters highlight some of the “maker” communities' efforts that made a difference in their part of North America. Each contribution describes the unique experiences, challenges, and successes. While this book is written and edited mostly from a medical perspective, additional input from medical engineers, administrators, attorneys, and public safety officials enables a broad perspective to highlight some of the ingenuity from the North American 3D printing community who responded to the initial case volumes of COVID-19.