The 3D printing technology has proven its benefits to the field of medicine. Recently, researchers from the Japanese company Fasotec created realistic 3D printed models of lungs based on the patented technology called Biotexture Wet Models. This particular technology allows surgeons as well as medical students to practice surgical training on almost realistic lungs that do not only have textures similar to real lungs but also comes complete with blood vessels.

The reason for the development of realistic 3D printed lungs is to allow students to practice for real life surgical experience. Currently, the 3D printed realistic lungs are used at Jikei University Hospital in Tokyo.

The lungs are made by creating the 3D-printed model shells. The shells are hard and empty and then are filled with gel to make up the synthetic replica of human lungs. The doctors then make the final touches to make the model look as real as a human organ as possible.

Tomohiro Kinoshita, one of the researchers who developed the Biotexture Wet Models, said that this new innovation in 3D printing lets doctors and students experience the softness of real organs and see them bleed. With the almost realistic experience provided by such a 3D printed organ, both doctors and students will be able to improve their skills even before they go to the operating room.

This futuristic technology provided by 3D printing looks very promising and Fasotec is not only geared towards developing realistic lung models but also other organs such as the heart, kidney and liver.