The Power of 3D Printing in Medicine: Tailor Surgery’s Vision for Personalized Treatment
In recent years, 3D printing in medicine—also known as additive manufacturing—has revolutionized how healthcare professionals approach diagnostics, treatment planning, and surgical interventions. At the forefront of this transformation is Tailor Surgery, a medical company specializing in 3D surgical planning, custom surgical guides, and patient-specific implants. Their mission? To empower surgeons with personalized medical solutions that improve precision, safety, and outcomes.
Transforming Orthopedic Surgery Through Digital Planning
The story of Tailor Surgery begins with Dr. Ferran Fillat Gomà, orthopedic surgeon and PhD researcher, whose early work explored the use of 3D printing in improving fracture classification. Driven by a passion for innovation, Dr. Fillat founded the 3DPTLab at Parc Taulí Hospital, a research facility dedicated to exploring how digital surgical planning and 3D technologies can enhance clinical practice.
Currently, the lab supports over 22 active research projects, not only in orthopedics but across multiple medical specialties. This effort has laid the scientific groundwork for expanding 3D solutions into everyday hospital settings, reinforcing the clinical impact of personalized surgical solutions.
From Lab to OR: Why Tailor Surgery Was Created
Tailor Surgery was born from a real clinical need: to stop forcing patients to fit generic implants, and instead start designing implants that fit the patient. Traditional orthopedic surgery often relies on standardized implants, but 3D printing enables true personalization—tailored implants and guides built to match the anatomy of each patient.
By performing digital planning before surgery, clinicians can anticipate complications, design accurate tools, and create customized implants that streamline procedures and shorten recovery times. The result is a safer, more efficient, and patient-specific surgical experience.
Ensuring Quality: Materials and Medical Certification
Using 3D printing in the medical field comes with strict requirements. Tailor Surgery uses biocompatible, certified materials such as medical titanium, resins, silicones, and polyamides, ensuring the highest safety standards for implants and devices. In experimental settings, the company also tests with other materials to develop and validate future applications.
Every product and material must undergo rigorous medical certification and quality control to meet industry standards, especially when used in patient-contact devices.
Additive Manufacturing: The Future of Personalized Healthcare
Looking forward, 3D printing in healthcare is only expected to grow. As more clinical trials and research papers validate the benefits of 3D technology, the adoption of personalized medical devices will become the norm—not the exception.
Dr. Fillat encourages researchers and clinicians to keep exploring:
“Focus on the applications that truly benefit the patient. The path may be long, but the impact is worth it.”