Economic Potential for Distributed Manufacturing of Adaptive Aids for Arthritis Patients in the U.S.

By 2040, more than a quarter of the U.S. population will have diagnosed arthritic conditions. Adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions earn less than average yet have medical care expenditures that are over 12% of average household income. Adaptive aids can help arthritis patients continue to maintain independence and quality of life; however, their high costs limit accessibility for older people and the poor. One method used for consumer price reduction is distributed manufacturing with 3-D printers. In order to assess if such a method would be financially beneficial, this study evaluates the techno-economic viability of distributed manufacturing of adaptive aids for arthritis patients. Twenty freely accessible designs for 3-D printable adaptive aids were successfully fabricated on low-cost desktop 3-D printers and performed their functions adequately. The financial savings averaged >94% compared to commercially-available products. Overall, twenty adaptive aids were printed for US$20 of plastic; while on average, each adaptive aid would save over US$20. As printing a tiny subset of the adaptive aids needed by a single patient would recover the full capital and operational costs of a low-cost 3-D printer, it can be concluded that there is considerable potential for distributed manufacturing to assist arthritis patients.

Are hip resurfacing arthroplasties meeting the needs of our patients? A 2-year follow-up study.

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is a treatment of end-stage hip arthritis in young patients with excellent bone stock. One hundred four consecutive HRAs (Depuy ASR, Warsaw, Ind) were performed with 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index, Harris Hip Scores, and University of California, Los Angeles activity ratings obtained preoperatively, at 6 months, and at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. Four patients required conversion to total hip arthroplasty. All patients showed significant improvements in their activity, pain, stiffness, and function postoperatively. Patients with lower SF-36 mental component scores (MCSs) improved their MCS compared with those of the general population, as well as improving their pain and physical functioning scores. These findings demonstrate reliable improvements in standard quality of life measures in patients undergoing HRA, including those with low preoperative SF-36 MCS.