PrintPlace launches in Aalst: AZORG brings medical 3D printing directly into the hospital

The Belgian hospital group AZORG is structurally embedding 3D printing into everyday clinical practice: With PrintPlace on the Moorselbaan campus in Aalst, product development, prototyping, and small-series production are moving directly into the hospital. The site is equipped with 3D scanners, visualization tools, and a pool of around 30 3D printers.

Initial projects are already underway—including a newly developed guidance aid for prostate biopsies; further applications, such as patient-specific 3D models in orthopedics, are in preparation.

Founded in 2016, PrintPlace specializes in practical custom developments, particularly in medical settings.

“The greatest added value lies in the preceding process: the joint development of a solution, design, drafting, testing, and refinement,” says Wesly Jacobs. “In recent years, we have developed several tailor-made solutions for departments such as cardiology and vascular surgery. Through our physical presence at AZORG, we can now go through this process together with the nursing staff—coordinating directly and in close proximity to the patient.”

A first concrete project was implemented in urology. Under the leadership of Geert De Naeyer, a patient-specific guidance aid for prostate biopsies was developed. Existing instruments were either costly or only of limited suitability. The new solution is currently undergoing clinical testing and is already showing advantages in terms of precision and handling.

“In our daily practice, we encountered the limits of existing tools. They were expensive, not always available, or did not fully meet our requirements. By jointly developing this tool, we can work much more precisely. We are currently in the patient testing phase, and the initial results are very promising,” says Dr. Geert De Naeyer, urologist at AZORG.

“For both AZORG and PrintPlace, this is not a one-off project but a structural decision,” concludes Wesly Jacobs. “By introducing 3D visualization, 3D printing, and product development in-house, innovation is now literally just a few steps away from clinical practice.”

Orthopedics is also making use of the new infrastructure. Together with Tom Peeters, anatomical 3D models are generated from imaging data to prepare procedures in detail. Printed fracture models are used both for surgical planning and intraoperative orientation and can subsequently be given to patients to improve understanding.

Frank Staelens, Director of Health Innovation at AZORG, adds: “What makes this project so unique is that we are not carrying out 3D printing remotely, but together with the people on site. This results in solutions that are truly tailored to everyday practice and provide direct benefits to patients.”