New Biomet Knee - Vanguard XP?

Question for the ortho reps:

How will 3D printing affect the market? I do not sell ortho, but read an article recently about a 3D printed knee implant. The article also said it cost a fraction of what a traditional implant currently costs. I want to say this company is out of Colorado, but I could be wrong. 3D printing seems to be the next big wave so I was just curious how it might affect the medical device world.

 

Can you link the article? Sounds like ConforMIS type stuff, but I don't think they are super cheap knees in terms of ASP.

Until the cost of a 3D printing machine that can make a knee is cheap, the knees won't be any cheaper no matter which process is used to make them. What will (probably) eventually happen is a 3D printer in the hospital or maybe even the individual OR that makes the instruments and implants (sterile) as needed and that are patient specific.