Additive Manufacturing for Forward-Deployed Shipboard Surgical Teams.

This article focuses on the use of additive manufacturing (3D printing) aboard a U.S. Navy amphibious warship to produce medical parts and supplies during deployment at sea. It reports a proof-of-concept project where critical items—including a sevoflurane vaporizer key for an anesthesia machine, a surgical retractor, and a scrub sink knee lever—were successfully designed, printed, and tested using onboard 3D printing technology. The study highlights how this capability can mitigate supply chain challenges inherent to shipboard medical departments, especially in austere or contested environments, by enabling on-demand production of essential medical components. The authors suggest that establishing digital libraries of medical parts and integrating medical-specific protocols could further enhance operational readiness and reduce resource depletion during naval deployments.