Costa Rica's Public Health System Just Implanted Its First In-House 3D-Printed Skull Plate

A Hospital That Prints Its Own Implants

Costa Rica's public health system has taken a step that few national health services have attempted. Surgeons at San Juan de Dios Hospital in San Jose have implanted the country's first cranial prosthesis that was designed, developed and manufactured entirely in-house by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, or CCSS.

The patient received a custom implant built to match the exact defect in their skull. The work did not go through an external medical-device company. Instead, the hospital's own team handled the whole pipeline, from medical imaging to final production.

From Months to Seven Days

The process starts with a high-resolution CT or MRI scan of the patient's skull. Engineers then convert that scan into a 3D digital model and print a physical prototype. Surgeons and biomedical engineers review the prototype together before the final implant is printed.

The result is a dramatic cut in both cost and waiting time. The first implant, a size-S cranial prosthesis, cost 64% less than a commercially contracted equivalent. The full workflow, from initial scan to finished device, now takes about seven days. External procurement had previously taken months.

Two Years of Preparation

This single operation was the product of a two-year effort. CCSS invested around 115 million Costa Rican colones in industrial-grade 3D printers, modeling software, washing and curing equipment, and a dedicated medical manufacturing workspace. Staff also went through specialized training.

Esteban Vega de la O, logistics manager at CCSS, called the implant a milestone for the institution. It is the first prosthesis developed internally through an integrated research, development and innovation process, he said.

Scaling Up Across the Country

CCSS expects the technology to reach at least 52 patients across three hospitals by the second half of 2026: San Juan de Dios, Hospital Mexico and Hospital Monseñor Sanabria. The health service is also working to expand 3D printing into spinal implants and other custom medical devices.

CCSS Executive President Monica Taylor framed the effort around a single goal: making research and innovation improve care and transform lives. If the model works, Costa Rica's public hospitals could become a reference for other countries trying to produce patient-specific implants without relying entirely on foreign suppliers.