These 3D printed microneedles — viewed through a scanning electron microscope — are pictured next to a traditional 29-gauge hypodermic needle. A human hair is approximately as wide as the 100 micron scale marker in the image. [Image courtesy of Mayo Clinic]
Microscale 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize medical device development.Seth Hara, Ph.D., and Renc Saracaydin, Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic Division of Engineering is an embedded engineering team that provides engineering support and service for researchers and clinicians throughout the enterprise. To meet their needs, the engineering team has embraced the use of microscale 3D printing.
Microscale 3D printing in medical device development is still relatively new. As this technology continues to mature, the field will continue to find new and exciting opportunities to advance the practice of medicine.
As the name implies, micros…