Patients Have Less Pain and Recover Faster with 3D-Printed, Custom-Fit Knee Replacements Dr. Ralph Liebelt is one of the few surgeons in the country to use 3D-printed, custom-fit knee replacements. Liebelt said that so far patients who get the customized total knee replacement typically have less pain and recover faster because doctors are not making holes in the bones and there less bleeding. Liebelt, with Triangle Orthopaedic Associates, said about 20 percent of patients with traditional methods are not satisfied with the results of knee surgery. He explained that doctors performing knee replacement surgery typically insert a standard off-the-shelf implant, then decide how much bone to remove in order to make it fit.

His technology from ConforMIS uses a 3D printer to produce a jig specifically built for an individual patient. The jigs that come from 3D printing are based on CT scan data and fit the patient anatomy. The replacement matches up exactly with the patient existing bone. Liebelt said: �Because we�re matching their anatomy, we can reduce the amount of bone that resected, particularly off the femur, compared with a traditional implant.�