Safety of Drilling 3-Dimensional-Printed Temporal Bones

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3-D) printing is increasingly used for temporal bone models in surgical training.
• The safety of drilling these 3-D printed models, specifically regarding volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and total particulate (TP) exposure, has not been established.
• Potential heat and sheer from drilling may generate harmful airborne contaminants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess airborne contaminant levels during high-speed drilling of 3-D printed temporal bone models.
• To determine if current occupational exposure limits are exceeded.
• To evaluate the necessity of implementing exposure control measures.

Main Methods:

• Three 3-D printed temporal bone models were created using polylactic acid (PLA), photoreactive acrylic resin (PAR), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
• Each model was drilled for 40 minutes while a surgeon wore personal air-sampling badges to monitor VOCs and TP.
• Samples were collected and analyzed according to NIOSH Method 500 standards.

Main Results:

• Volatile organic compound (VOC) levels were below detection limits, with only trace isopropyl alcohol detected for the PAR model (0.24 ppm).
• Total particulate (TP) samples were below the detection limit of 1.4 mg/m³.
• All measured contaminant levels were below Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Action Levels and Permissible Exposure Limits.

Conclusions:

• Drilling 3-D printed temporal bone models made from PLA, ABS, and PAR is safe according to OSHA standards.
• Current findings suggest no immediate need for specialized exposure controls for drilling these specific 3-D printed materials.
• Continued safety monitoring is recommended as 3-D printing technologies evolve and become more integrated into surgical specialties.