| Title: | Sarcomas in Teachers Using Three-Dimensional Printers: A Report of Three Patients and Literature Review |
| Author(s): | Joo MW; Lee YS; Chung YG; Lee HK; |
| Address: | "Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2005-4408 (Electronic) 2005-291X (Print) 2005-291X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: While low-cost, small-scale, desktop three-dimensional (3D) printers are gaining popularity in the education sector, some studies have reported harmful emissions of particles and volatile organic compounds during the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process, posing a potential health risk. Sarcomas are rare tumors, constituting a group of diverse rare malignant tumors. While some genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of sarcomas, most cases are idiopathic and sporadic. METHODS: We secured the medical records and statements about work environment from teachers diagnosed with sarcomas after frequent use of 3D printers in high schools, reviewed the cases, and described them in narrative format. Furthermore, popularization of FDM 3D printers, worrisome emissions released during the printing process, and related precautions and countermeasures were discussed through literature review. RESULTS: Exceptionally, the cases of sarcomas, such as Ewing's sarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and well-differentiated liposarcoma, arose in a common specific condition. All the teachers regularly operated 3D printers in poorly ventilated spaces for at least 2 years. They had no past or family history of relevant diseases. CONCLUSIONS: We first reported three cases of sarcoma in teachers who used 3D printers in poorly ventilated conditions. Although a relationship between the use of 3D printers and the development of sarcomas has not been determined yet, it is important to come up with measures to protect teachers and students using 3D printers from the potential hazard" |
| Keywords: | "Humans Printing, Three-Dimensional *Sarcoma *Volatile Organic Compounds Sarcoma School teachers Three-dimensional printing Ultrafine particles Volatile organic compounds;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineJoo, Min Wook Lee, Yong-Suk Chung, Yang-Guk Lee, Hong Kwon eng Review Korea (South) 2022/06/11 Clin Orthop Surg. 2022 Jun; 14(2):310-317. doi: 10.4055/cios21181. Epub 2022 May 13" |
