Keith Murphy, CEO of Organovo, stated that his company will be able to 3D print partial organs within the next 4-6 years. These partial organs could be used to repair damaged organs, such as the liver, providing valuable time to patients as they await a full transplant.

The 3D Printed Sneezometer is a spirometer designed by University of Surry researchers to tackle lung problems before they occur. Being the cheapest and most-sensitive, it can measure speed of sneeze and measure lung capacity, helping to diagnose lung diseases like Asthma and Sleep apnoea.

3D Systems, a 3D printer company, recently announced its standardized curriculum for Bronchoscopy on the Simbionix BRONCH Mentor™ virtual reality training simulator in collaboration with American College of Chest Physicians(CHEST). This Curriculum Module for Essential Bronchoscopic Skills and Diagnostic Bronchoscopy is targeted to provide most relevant training and assessment within a realistic mode of practice.

Researchers from University of California, San Diego, have developed Gas Delivery System for delivering inspired gas to research subjects in the MRI environment. Using SolidWorks, the team was able to model the Bypass Flow Attachment, then slice and prepare it in G-code using the MakerWare software that accompanied their MakerBot Replicator 2 printer.

Biomedical engineer Dr. Joseph Potkay is working with high-resolution 3D Printing company Old World Labs on a research funded by the VA (Veteran Affairs), to create a prototype of the 3D printed artificial lung, which will be about a half-inch cube in size, hopefully able to fit in a backpack and be used for a week. It will be the first truly wearable artificial lung that’s compatible with living tissue and can provide both short- and long-term respiratory support, and microfluidic artificial lungs. The device has been tested in rabbits, with sheep testing planned for the future.

CollPlant and United Therapeutics Corporation have recently announced their licensing, development, and commercialization agreement for 3D Bioprinted Lung Transplants. Combining United Therapeutics’ organ manufacturing and regenerative medicine capabilities through Lung Biotechnology PBC with CollPlant’s BioInk and proprietary recombinant human collagen (rhCollagen) technology, CollPlant will receive an initial upfront payment of $5 million to kick start the project.

Researchers from China worked on a study that involved comparing 3D Print in pre-operative care to three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) in Thoracoscopic Pulmonary Segmentectomy for Cancer Patients. 124 selected patients were divided into three groups- General, 3D-T and 3D Printing; and Pre-operative 3D image reconstruction was performed to view and reconstruct 3D images of the nodules, bronchi, and pulmonary vessels and the models were then printed on a Lite600HD 3D printer. 3D Printing Group was found to have decreased Intraoperative blood loss and reduced time of procedures.

Read More: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6976356/

Researchers at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System in Michigan, announced their pioneering project of creating a Portable Artificial Lung using 3D Printing. The wearable CO2 removal device for Veteran rehabilitation from lung disease is part of a two-year grant project, whose parts will be printed on a Stratasys J750 and Stereolithography 3D printers for other smaller parts. The project is expected to unfold by five to six years, where they will test the lung into a cohort of sheep using the cannulation technique, after which the sheep will be under anaesthesia for six hours, followed by chronic implantation where the sheep will be taken out of anaesthesia and monitored for 30 days.