Prosthetics, implants, bioprinting, medical devices and custom pharmaceuticals are just the beginning of the impact of 3D printing in medicine.For a technology that hasnt yet entered onto the grounds of most hospitals or healthcare organizations, 3D medical printing is well on its way to significantly influencing the industry.Despite a lack of widespread adoption, the tool already is thriving in the healthcare scene, facilitating difficult surgeries such as the recent separation of twins with conjoined hearts through the use of 3D-printed models and virtual reality a surgery for which there were previously no known survivors.But, its still innovative hospitals that are making these models that are helping them with difficult surgeries, says Alan Louie, the research director for IDCs Health Insights Life Sciences Practice. While most hospitals currently dont use 3D printers except for small plastics, the tool is setting itself up to revolutionize areas of medicine such as prostheses and implants in the near term, Louie notes.

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