AniMedi Solution: Transforming Medical Industry with 3D Printing Innovations

Animedi Solution has received domestic innovative medical technology certification and passed technology evaluation for special technology listing. 3D printing has boundless uses in the medical field.

In the medical field, 3D printing can improve the quality of medical care as it develops customized implants, artificial joints, implants, and simulators, based on medical images such as CT, MRI, X-ray, and ultrasound.

The problem is that Korea is still dependent on global medical companies for various technologies such as S/W solutions, equipment, and manufacturing, to utilize 3D printing. In this challenging situation, 'Animedi Solution' among domestic companies, stands out in the global 3D printing medical market. For AniMedi Solution, 2021 is the year of 'game changers' because it has received domestic innovative medical technology certification and passed technology evaluation for special technology listing. We, Health Kyunghyang took a look at the representative achievements of Animedi Solution in 2021.

■ 3D printing surgery guide enters the insurance system for the first time in the world

3D printing has acquired medical advances that were not possible before. In particular, its accuracy has been improved in the field of surgery.

Based on the patient's CT or MRI, the surgical guide with 3D printing creates a topographic map by combining digital 2D slices. The topographic map focuses on the complex structure of each organ boundary, and a 3D model map is created based on this information. After that, 3D printing separates each organ and blood vessel by using inkjet. In other words, since each organ and blood vessel is distinctive, the medical staff can intuitively examine the patient's condition.

Currently, AniMedi solution has over 400 surgical guides, including ▲Congenital heart disease simulator ▲Breast cancer partial resection surgery guide ▲Skull metal implant ▲Kidney cancer partial resection surgery guide ▲Aortic reconstruction surgery guide ▲Skin cancer partial resection surgery guide ▲Mandibular reconstruction surgery guide ▲Shoulder joint replacement surgery guide ▲Spine screw insertion ▲orthodontics, ▲ bone tumor removal, and ▲ orbital fracture implants.

Among them, 'Congenital Heart Disease Simulator' entered the world's first 3D printing simulator insurance system in 2018. Furthermore, in August of this year, the 'Guide to partial breast cancer resection surgery' was identified as an innovative medical technology insurance registration. A thesis about its effectiveness was published in 'Computers in Biology and Medicine, an SCI(E)-level international academic journal, in October.

This year' Aortic Reconstruction Surgery Guide' drew attention as innovative technology.

Most aortic reconstructive surgery has been 'aortic replacement,' in which artificial blood vessels are reconstructed during the preparation process and replaced instantly during surgery. However, this method was less accurate since the medical staff processed the artificial blood vessels with the naked eye on surgery. 2-3 weeks before surgery, Animedi Solution Aortic Reconstruction Surgery Guide can create patient-specific artificial blood vessels by accurately reflecting blood vessels' location and anatomical shape through 3D printing.

In fact, in a study of 20 patients with thoracic-abdominal aortic aneurysms who underwent surgery from 2015 to 2019, Animedi reported that the Guide to Aortic Reconstruction Surgery surgeries showed no postoperative death and no permanent neurological impairment in 95% of patients. In addition, the operation time, which took an average of 7 hours, was cut by more than half.

Recently, a research paper on the topic of 'Improved patient-tailored guide using 3D printing in thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm reconstruction surgery' was published in 'Scientific Reports, an SCI-level international academic journal by the world-class scientific journal 'Nature.'

■ Ahead of listing on the KOSDAQ in 2022

Animedi Solution has a variety of technologies in addition to surgical guides. One of the representative examples is the 'innofitLab,' a virtual plastic surgery software experience space using artificial intelligence (AI).

Innofit Lab can check consumers before and after plastic surgery through the 3D scanner and virtual plastic surgery software instead of CT. In the survey of 200 consumers from January to May, which Animedi conducted, 99% of subjects responded that they were 'satisfied.'

With this technology, Animedi Solution aims to be listed in the first half of 2022. For the listing, Animedi should pass a 'preliminary examination.'

Animedi Solution is preparing for a special technology listing instead of a general listing. To be listed as a special technology, through screening 35 evaluation items related to technical performance and business feasibility, Animeid must have a grade of BBB or higher at two technology evaluation institutions designated by the Korea Exchange.

Animedi Solution has already obtained an 'A' grade in technology evaluation performed by 'Nice D&B' and 'Korea Enterprise Data' in September.

In this technical evaluation, the below were highly evaluated as core technologies that can support high-level surgery and provide unbiased medical services: ▲medical image-based customized design technology, ▲surgical plan implementation technology, and ▲virtual surgery and platform technology

Kim Kook-bae, CEO of Animedi Solution, declared, "This year, we demonstrated the effectiveness of various technologies, opening the door to the market for patient-customized surgical solutions.", "Based on these technologies, in 2022, we will provide patients with an adequate surgical prognosis and a higher cure rate. And we will offer doctors with systems for prompter and more precise surgery and customized surgical solutions," he counted.