Three-Dimensional Printing and Its Implication on Airway Management

The advancement of rapid manufacturing technologies known as 3-D printing is transforming several medical practices and solutions. In contrast to traditional mass production technologies of manufacturing, 3-D printing prevails in terms of low-volume production cost saving, introducing flexibility and personalization. This means that the manufacturer can change the design of the produced parts at will, without the time and effort associated with tooling change in other production methods. Furthermore, 3-D printing has a better ability of producing models with complex geometries, such as the patient-specific anatomical models.