3D-printed suture guide for thoracic and cardiovascular surgery produced during the COVID19 pandemic

Emergency 3D-printing of medical devices came out as a potential solution to tackle shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Manufacturing medical devices in small series within hospitals is an exciting perspective in crisis management. Health professionals and additive manufacturing technology are ready for this revolution but regulative adaptations are still required. Here we present the design and production of a suture guide for cardiac surgery as a case study for a 3D-printed medical device manufactured during the COVID-19 pandemic.