3D print yourself some help.

It's so very easy to overestimate the power of 3D printing. DIY semiautomatics, for example, are a terrifying prospect, but they're not exactly right around the corner. Likewise, it's easy to dream of a world where surgeons can simply 3D print a new liver. But the Wall Street Journal reports that current medical applications are a little more mundane.

Current technology can produce a pretty convincing replica of an organ, with "the wetness and texture of a real human liver, making it more suitable to cut with a surgical knife," the Journal reports. That won't exactly cut the waiting list for organs, but it can help plan a delicate transplant.

That sort of thing is useful for an experienced old hand. But the real beneficiaries are likely to be the newbies:

Mr. Sugimoto believes that longer-term, the technology could help younger, less experienced surgeons practice with accurate copies before surgery.

If doctors feel more confident about the surgeries they are about to perform, patients will feel more comfortable, Mr. Sugimoto said.

So, basically, 3D printing promises to work as training wheels for rookie doctors. If only you could produce a bedside manner by additive manufacturing.

Robot surgeons are generally less sexy than regular surgeons. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Robots are frequently relied on in the medical community to perform complex, invasive surgeries that require a dexterous touch. But like any person (or thing!) with a medical degree, robots are now become the target of lawsuits launched by their former patients.

Bad Robot Surgery is a place for people who have had surgery performed by a Da Vinci Robot to congregate. The Da Vinci is designed to use a minimally invasive procedure to perform minor procedures like hysterectomies or cardiac valve repair. But just because the human error factor is nonexistent doesn't mean you're in the clear. Dr. Francois Blaudeau is an Alabama-based lawyer (with a medical degree!) who is fighting for the rights of victims of robot surgery.

"We are committed to helping victims of robot surgery receive the medical care and compensation they deserve," reads the site. "Additionally, we are committed to educating patients and doctors throughout the nation about the complications associated with robot surgery."

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that robot surgery is not more or less dangerous than that performed by human surgeons, but it can take longer and be more expensive. But let's not say anything we regret and anger the robots...

To be fair, the Internet is WAY less awkward. (Photo:flickr.com/thart2009

As much as we can accomplish over the Internet these days, sometimes there's just no substitute for IRL. Case in point: That mysterious rash that won't disappear no matter how much lotion you apply.

A study released today by the Pew Internet & American Life Project says that while 59 percent of Americans have looked online for some sort of health information, only 35 percent have turned to the Internet with the specific aim of diagnosing themselves or someone else online. A mere third! That seems a little low, no?

Almost half of the self-diagnosers (46 percent) were alarmed enough by what they found to proceed to a doctor afterward; 41 percent say their theory was confirmed. No word on what percentage of medical professionals are sick and tired of hearing "but I read on the Internet that..."

“Online health information is available day or night, at no cost, and the internet has become a de facto second opinion for many people,” said the report's lead author Susannah Fox in a statement released with the report. She added, “The internet is just one piece of the puzzle. Clinicians are still central.”

This is confirmed by another set of numbers: Respondents reported that, when they'd faced serious health scares in the past, it took a little more than Wikipedia to handle it: 70 percent got information, care or support from a doctor or another healthcare pro, while 60 percent got information or support from friends and family. Most of that happened offline.

There was little difference between the insured and uninsured, with "women, people with higher incomes & education, and adults ages 18-49" most likely to turn to Doctor Google. And make no mistake, it is Doctor Google they're turning to. 77 percent of those surveyed said they start at a search engine. Only 13 percent start at health websites like Web MD.

Unfortunately for anyone who'd like to monetize this thirst for information: A quarter of searchers have hit a paywall, but 2 percent of them actually coughed up the cash to get whatever was behind it. Sorry, media entrepreneurs.