Editorial Comment for del Junco et al.

The authors are to be congratulated for their initial and very thorough investigation of three-dimensional (3D) printing endourologic tools. They focused on two very practical and universal tools we use daily—stents and trocars. Working through several iterations, they ultimately demonstrated the feasibility of printing functional stents and trocars. This technology could revolutionize hospital practice where instruments are literally “made to order.” The consequence would be reduced inventory costs for hospitals, including elimination of expired material. As others pursue this research, what can be 3D printed on demand and used in the operating room is only limited by one's imagination.

Several obvious hurdles remain including sterility, cost and time of printing tools, materials, and volume of equipment needed. It may not be that the most common tools are printed (stents and trocars) because their frequent use likely justifies stocking them on the shelf. Rather, I envision the obvious target for this technology to be the occasional instruments that “expire” while never being used. Finally and perhaps most daunting, I doubt the designs and specifications for any particular tool will be readily available as open source code. As such, my enthusiasm for this technology is tempered by reality where very real economic, intellectual property, and legal hurdles will be erected and need to be overcome.