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I personally believe this health care innovation is great for those who do not have the funds for a prosthetic.  It is cutting edge technology that can be used in nursing all over the world. This is especially true for kids who will continue growing out of their expensive prosthetic hands.   As nurses, this could potentially be a resource to send patients to seek out when they are in need.  I would have to see more research done on the pros/cons involved in the 3D printed hands versus other prosthetics, but I am excited to see health care embracing technology such as 3D printers as options for prosthetics in the future.

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CONS:

The 3D printed prosthetics still have the robotic appearance rather than being more realistic looking (Elmansy, 2015).

It is made from a form of plastic.  The cords and screws can easily be cut or damaged accidentally (Elmansy, 2015).

Although it is great that anyone can create these around the world, it also can be a drawback.  If there are mistakes made, then those can affect the patient and cause discomfort (Elmansy, 2015).

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References:

(n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://3dprint.nih.gov/

(2015). Retrieved October 9, 2016, from http://enablingthefuture.org/

Elmansy, R. (2015). Designing the 3D-Printed Prosthetic Hand. Design Management Review, 26(1), 24-31. doi:10.1111/drev.10311

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Upon researching about this topic, I found an organization called e-Nabling the Future.  This community is changing the face of medicine.  Designers, engineers, scientists, teachers, students, healthcare providers, and many other people work together to develop 3D printed prosthetic hands that can used by individuals in need around the world.

History:

The idea began in 2011 after a man, Ivan Owen, created a functional metal puppet hand for a concert that he was attending as a prop.  He showed a YouTube video of himself using the hand, and that caused people to begin requesting for him to make them their own replacement fingers and hands.  This led Ivan to begin researching prosthetic devices and found the Corporal Coles hand.  It was created in the early 1800’s by an Australian dentist.  It was constructed using whale bone, cables, and pulleys.  This original idea inspired him to design what is now the building block for every e-Nable community 3D printed hand (http://enablingthefuture.org/).

Resources:

Shown on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – National Insitutes of Health, people are able to find and share different designs that can be programmed to any 3D printer around the world.  “The NIH 3D Print Exchange eliminates this gap with an open, comprehensive, and interactive website for searching, browsing, downloading, and sharing biomedical 3D print files, modeling tutorials, and educational material” (http://3dprint.nih.gov/).  People all around the world are now able to create their own 3D printed hands to meet their child’s needs.

PLEASE SEE VIDEOS

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These are affordable!  It costs less than $2,000 for most prosthetics designed by a 3D printer (Elmansy, 2015).  It only costs $50 to produce the hands through the organization, e-Nabling the future (http://enablingthefuture.org/).  The biggest benefit of using 3D-printed devices for children is because they grow so fast, and this will give parents the opportunity to afford a new prosthetic each growth spurt (Elmansy, 2015).

3D printers are becoming cheaper and easier to afford.  There is also a map on the e-Nabling the future website that shows people willing to print the product for those in need.

These are very easy to modify to meet the needs of the patient (Elmansy, 2015).

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What started as a design for a prosthetic hand created for one, has grown into a global movement of philanthropic individuals who have delivered free 3D printed hands and arms to thousands in over 40 countries. This is the story of the evolution and the power of sharing ideas. enablingthefuture.org

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A $50 3D-Printed Prosthesis Compared to a $42,000 Myoelectric Prosthesis (3D Universe)

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Here's an updated version with better audio (if you share, please share this version): http://youtu.be/CHPuMCshkLU For the full story: http://www.3duniverse.org/2014/04/19/jose-delgado-jr-compares-his-new-3d-printed-hand-to-his-more-expensive-myoelectric-prosthesis/ I recently had the opportunity to work with a great guy named Jose Delgado, Jr., a 53-year old who was born without most of his left hand.