Customized Three-Dimensional Printed Splints for Neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Three Case Reports
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Bridget M Schutz1, Dallin Sudbury2, Neil Scott3
1Bridget M. Schutz, MSOT, OTR/L, CNT, is Occupational Therapist, Department of Rehabilitation Services, UCHealth, Aurora, CO. At the time of this research, Schutz was Occupational Therapist, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City; Bridget.Schutz@uchealth.org.
Insights
Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers a feasible solution for creating customized splints for neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This technology can help address challenges in fitting splints for infants, potentially improving outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neonatal Care
- Orthotics and Prosthetics
Background:
- Critically ill neonates are susceptible to positional deformities and joint contractures.
- Customized splinting is crucial for managing these conditions but challenging due to neonates' unique anatomy.
- Ill-fitting splints can cause adverse effects like skin ulcers and nerve damage.
Observation:
- A case series involving three neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was conducted.
- Customized splints were created using 3D scanning, digital design, and 3D printing technology.
- The study monitored neonates' comfort and clinical improvement post-splinting.
Findings:
- 3D scanning and printing were successfully utilized to create customized neck and hand splints for neonates.
- The 3D printed splints were fabricated from lightweight materials and well-tolerated by the neonates.
- The study demonstrated the adaptability of 3D splint designs for different neonates.
Implications:
- Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is a viable and applicable solution for fabricating neonatal orthoses.
- Further advancements in scanning resolution, design software, and printing speed are recommended.
- Long-term studies are necessary to ascertain the full benefits of early 3D printed splinting in neonates.
Importance:
Critically ill neonates can be vulnerable to positional deformities and joint contractures. Early splints, along with dynamic exercise, may lead to long-term functional improvement. Making splints to perfectly contour neonates' small joints and bodies is challenging. An ill-fitted splint can lead to skin ulcers, nerve damage, poor compliance, and discomfort. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been applied to create customized, cost-effective, and lightweight orthoses that may be promising for neonates.
Objective:
To explore the feasibility of scanning, designing, and printing 3D splints for neonates.
Setting:
A large neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a university teaching hospital.
Method:
Case series of three neonates in a NICU who had deformities or joint contractures that would benefit from early static splints. We created customized splints for neonates using 3D scanning, digital design software, and 3D printing technology. We monitored the neonates' comfort and clinical improvement.
Results:
One neonate with a congenital neck deformity had a neck splint created from 3D body-scanned images. Another neonate with a hand deformity was measured and had 3D digitally designed hand splints made. The same hand splint design was modified to fit a third neonate's hand with new measurements. All splints were 3D printed using specialized lightweight materials. The neonates tolerated the splints well.
Conclusions And Relevance:
3D printing technology is feasible for and applicable to NICU neonates. Advancing 3D technology should focus on upgrading scanning quality, improving splint design, and speeding up printing. Further research to evaluate the long-term benefits of early splinting is needed. What This Article Adds: This is the first published article to discuss the feasibility of using 3D printing technology to create customized splints for fragile neonates. Neonates, especially critically ill ones with congenital defects, may benefit from early splinting to preserve function and development. Neonates are the most challenging patients to make a perfect-fit splint for, and 3D printing may offer a potential solution.
