A snapshot interview: integrating 3D printing into surgical workflows

29 Sep 2020

Written by Paul Unwin

In this snapshot interview, Paul Unwin, Industrial Chairman, Additive Manufacturing Strategy Steering Group (AM UK), discusses integrating medtech into the NHS (UK) and the integration of 3D printing into surgical workflows.

Biography

At the time of filming at 3DMedLIVE 2019: 3D printing in surgery (2–3 October 2020; London, UK), Paul Unwin was the Industrial Chairman of the Additive Manufacturing Strategy Steering Group (AM UK). AM UK is an independent, government-backed collaboration, positioned to help drive the UK’s AM Strategy. The national strategy, published in September 2017, provides recommendations to enable UK industry to unlock the full commercial potential of additive manufacturing and presents the output of 3 years of work undertaken by the UK AM community.

Previously, Unwin was the founding CEO of Stanmore Implants Worldwide Ltd (Borehamwood, UK), a world renounced specialist orthopedic service provider. Unwin was the creator and architect of the ground-breaking patient-specific implant system that integrated patient imaging, implant design, implant manufacture utilizing additive manufacturing and placing the implants with the aid of robotics, culminating in the successful surgical placement – a world first. Unwin and his team began investigating additive manufacturing for orthopedic implants in 2006, after following an extensive development program. Unwin and his team eventually built and implanted one of the first additive manufactured mega bone replacements in 2011.

Unwin has now finished his 3 year tenure as Industrial Chairman at AM UK and has moved into an agricultural government body.

“3D printing has made a huge difference in the way that we can aid surgeons to produce much more accurate and precise cuts of the bone and understand the anatomy, so there’s tremendous potential already there.”

Unwin was interviewed at 3DMedLIVE 2019: 3D printing in surgery. To access more exclusive interviews and content from 3DMedLIVE 2019, watch this space on 3DMedNet >>

>> Find out more about 3DMedLIVE

Interview segments:

Introduction [00:03]
Integrating medtech into the NHS (UK) [00:28]
Integrating medical 3D printing and innovative technology into surgical workflows [01:01]