0 s ▁with ▁an atom ical ▁model ing ▁for ▁b ony ▁re construct ive ▁surg ery ▁planning . ▁By ▁pract icing ▁on ▁a ▁tact ile ▁model ▁before ▁surg ery , ▁sur ge ons ▁were ▁more ▁prepared ▁and ▁patients ▁received ▁better ▁care . ▁Pat ient - match ed ▁impl ants ▁were ▁a ▁natural ▁extension ▁of ▁this ▁work , ▁leading ▁to ▁truly ▁personal ized ▁impl ants ▁that ▁fit ▁one ▁unique ▁individual . ▁Virtual ▁planning ▁of ▁surg ery ▁and ▁guidance ▁using ▁ 3 D ▁printed , ▁personal ized ▁instruments ▁have ▁been ▁applied ▁to ▁many ▁areas ▁of ▁surg ery ▁including ▁total ▁joint ▁replacement ▁and ▁c ran iom ax illo fa cial ▁reconst ruction ▁with ▁great ▁success . ▁Further ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁models ▁for ▁planning ▁heart ▁and ▁solid ▁organ ▁surg ery ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁increased ▁use ▁in ▁these ▁areas . ▁Hospital - based ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁is ▁now ▁of ▁great ▁interest ▁and ▁many ▁institutions ▁are ▁purs uing ▁adding ▁this ▁special ty ▁within ▁individual ▁radi ology ▁depart ments . ▁The ▁technology ▁is ▁being ▁used ▁to ▁create ▁unique , ▁patient - match ed ▁devices ▁for ▁rare ▁ill ness es . ▁One ▁example ▁of ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁b ior es orb able ▁tra ch ial ▁spl int ▁to ▁treat ▁new born s ▁with ▁tra che ob ron ch om al acia ▁developed ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan . ▁Several ▁devices ▁manufact ur ers ▁have ▁also ▁begin ▁using ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁for ▁patient - match ed ▁surg ical ▁gu ides ▁( pol ym ers ). ▁The ▁use ▁of