BioSculpture Technology, a company led by New York Downtown Hospitals and the Presbyterian New York affiliated plastic surgeon Robert Cucin, recently revealed that the 3D printing technology has allowed the firm to develop an innovative line of surgical instruments for obesity treatment.

Liposuction, a surgical procedure that involves the removal of excess fat deposits in various body parts, is currently the most widely utilized method for patients suffering from obesity. In fact, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) estimates that the number of liposuction procedures has increased by over 16%, recording an all time high at 396,048 procedures performed in 2015.

ASAPS president Dr. Jack Fisher stated that the increase in liposuction procedures is directly attributable to the emergence of innovative technologies such as 3D printing that have successfully reduced the invasiveness of liposuction.