Table 2. . Potential research studies relevant to the development of 3D-printed clinical applications for COVID-19.
| Medical device | Application | Materials | 3D-technology fabrication process | Research design/key findings | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N95 mask | Mask face seal | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | FDM | Improved contact pressure with 3D-printed face seal compared with use of 3M© 8210 N95 FFR respirator masks | [27] |
| Respirator mask | Silicon | RP | Printed silicon masks through digital modeling prototyped by RP | [21] | |
| Respirator mask | SEBS + PP | ME3DP | Printed biocompatible thermoplastic elastomeric materials from PP/SEBS compositions based on a facile blending strategy | [30] | |
| Respirator mask | PP | 3D melt electrospinning printing | Sequential fiber layering achieved with a fiber diameter of 16.4 ± 0.2 μm; direct-writing of polypropylene | [42] | |
| Face shield | Face shield mask | Polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid | FDM | 3D-printed transparent face shield | [31] |
| COVID-19 specimen collection kit | NP/OP swabs | Polyethylene terephthalate (dacron), polyester mesh, nylon flocked swabs | FDM | Can produce 3D-printed NP/OP prototypes that are strong and flexible | [43] |
| NP/OP swabs | Surgical guide resin | 3D-printed test resin via SLA laser printing | Can produce NP/OP flexible swabs | [44] | |
| Ventilation equipment | Ventilator valves | Polyamide, polysulfone, polycarbonate, silicone rubber, nylon and polyamide 12 (PA12) | Filament extrusion system | Can create valve has very thin holes and tubes, smaller than 0.8 m | [45,46] |
| Mechanical BVM adaptors | PVC and polyethylene valve | Filament extrusion system | Can create adapters and valves to connect the AMBU bag to the face mask | [47] | |
| Venturi mask | PVC | Filament extrusion system | Can design custom masks that allow high oxygen flow of a known oxygen concentration to patients | [47] | |
| LMA | PVC, silicone | Filament extrusion system, RP | Can design custom adapters/ valves to connect the LMA to an oxygen source or an expiration tube; can also produce a mold of a silicon mask via RP | [47] | |
| Tracheal tube | PVC, silicone | Filament extrusion system, RP | Can create custom adapters/valves to connect the LMA to a regulated oxygen flow source (from ventilator to patient) or an expiration tube (from patient to ventilator) | [48] | |
| NRB | PVC | Filament extrusion system | Can produce custom adapters and valves to connect the mask to the oxygen source | [48] | |
| Mask or helmet for CPAP ventilation | Face mask – PVC, polycarbonate; face seal – silicon; polyurethane | Filament extrusion system, DOD 3D printing | Can produce custom adapters/valves connected to CPAP mask/helmet to oxygen source; can produce the clips/attachments that holds the mask pressed onto face | [46] | |
| Ventilator valves | Polyamide | Polymer-laser powder/SLS | Can be used to melt and fuse a powder together to build up layers of an object | [45,46] | |
| Medication | 3D-printed tablet | PVA filament + fluorescein | FF 3DP | Successful fabricating personalized-dose medicines or unit dosage forms with controlled-release profiles | [49] |
| Modified-release drug-loaded tablets | PVA filaments + (IBD), 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA, mesalazine) + 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA) | FF 3DP | Successful results show that it is possible to tailor oral drug dosage and modified-release formulation | [50] | |
| Drug-loaded tablets | PEGDA + diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl) phosphine oxide + 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA) + paracetamol (acetaminophen) | Stereolithography | SLA 3DP technology allows the manufacture of drug-loaded tablets with specific extended-release profiles | [51] | |
| Pharmaceutical bilayer tablets | Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC 2208) + (Methocel™ K100M Premium) + PAA (Carbopol® 974P NF) + MCC (Pharmacel® 102) + SSG (Primojel®) | Gel extrusion | Successful drug release through a hydrated HPMC gel layer | [52] | |
| 3D-printed medicine | Kollicoat IR (75% PVA + 25% polyethylene glycol copolymer) + Eudragit L100-55 (50% methacrylic acid and 50% ethyl acrylate copolymer) + paracetamol (acetaminophen) | SLS | Demonstrated the suitability of SLS printing technique using medical powders and lasers for manufacturing | [17] | |
| Personalized 3D-printed drugs | Hydrogel + PEG + hydroxypropyl methylcellulose + poly acrylic acid + aspirin | Coaxial needle extrusion | Print-active pharmaceutical ingredients; create combinations of controlled dosing of drugs; personalized medication | [53] |
ABS: Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; AMBU: Artificial manual breathing unit; BVM: Bag valve mask; CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure; DOD: Drop-on-demand; FDM: Fused-deposition modeling; FF 3DP: Fused-filament 3D printing; LMA: Laryngeal mask airway; MCC: Microcrystalline cellulose; ME3DP: Material extrusion 3D printing; N95 FFR: N95 filtering facepiece respirator; NRB: Nonrebreather mask; OP: Oropharyngeal; PAA: Poly(acrylic acid); PEG: Polyethylene glycol; PEGDA: Polyethylene glycol diacrylate; PP: Polypropylene; PVA: Polyvinyl alcohol; PVC: Polyvinyl chloride; RP: Rapid prototyping; SEBS: Styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-styrene; SLA: Stereolithography; SLS: Selective laser sintering; SSG: Sodium starch glycolate.