PLA filament is used in 3D printing to create surgical models with realistic shapes and sizes. Its biodegradable properties and ease of printing make it ideal for producing detailed anatomical structures for training and practice. PLA can represent bone structure due to its hardness. It is also used to represent organs visually, with the downside of not representing manipulations very well.
Definition
Polylactic acid, also known as poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA), is a thermoplastic polyester (or polyhydroxyalkanoate) with backbone formula (C
3H
4O
2)
n or [–C(CH
3)HC(=O)O–]
n, formally obtained by condensation of lactic acid C(CH
3)(OH)HCOOH with loss of water (hence its name).
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