Warwick, Rhode Island Patent of the Year – 2024/2025
Endocraft LLC has been awarded the 2024/2025 Patent of the Year for its innovative approach to customizing surgical instruments. Their invention, detailed in U.S. Patent No. 12070195, titled ‘Systems and methods for design and 3-D fabrication of laryngoscopes, pharyngoscopes, and oral cavity retractors’, introduces a method for designing and fabricating patient-specific medical devices using 3D printing technology.
Endocraft LLC’s new system leverages 3D modeling and printing to create laryngoscopes, pharyngoscopes, and oral cavity retractors tailored to individual patient anatomies. By utilizing imaging data, the system generates detailed anatomical profiles, allowing for the customization of instruments that provide optimal access and visibility during procedures.
This personalized approach addresses the limitations of standard, one-size-fits-all instruments, which may not accommodate the unique anatomical variations of each patient. The ability to adjust design parameters based on specific anatomical features enhances surgical precision and patient safety.
The integration of additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, streamlines the production process, enabling rapid fabrication of customized instruments. This not only improves the efficiency of surgical preparation but also reduces the need for extensive inventories of varied instrument sizes and shapes.
Endocraft LLC’s advancement signifies a significant step forward in personalized medicine, offering healthcare providers tools that align more closely with individual patient needs, thereby improving surgical outcomes and overall patient care.