Doctors Implant 3D Printed Vertebra for First Time

 3D Printing  

A hospital in Beijing has carried out the world’s first 3D printed vertebra surgery, to replace the second vertebra in a 12-year-old boy’s neck that had developed cancer.

Doctors at Peking University in China have accomplished something never before seen in medicine. They have successfully replaced a section of vertebra with a 3D printed implant.

The doctors say this implant should incorporate itself better with the existing bone and shorten recovery time. The implant is made from powdered titanium.

Titanium is commonly used in orthopedic implants, but this is the first time a 3D printer has been used to make a solid 3D object to the exact specifications of a patient.

The team at Peking University began their research into 3D printing orthopedic implants in 2009, and applied for human clinical trials in 2012. This is the first attempt to use the technique on a human patient, with previous animal studies showing encouraging results.

The patient in this case is a 12 year-old boy who was suffering from a malignant tumor on his upper spine. A section of the bone had to be removed to stop the spread of the disease, but doctors opted to try this new method rather than use a traditional implant, which relies on screws and cement to stay in place.

As the implant was designed to fit with the surrounding bones between the first and third vertebrae, it needed very little anchoring. Doctors created tiny holes in the implant, which should allow the bone to grow through the metal, eventually incorporating it into the spinal column.

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Once that new growth occurs, there is virtually zero chance of the implant shifting or coming loose. Regular implants can occasionally cause complications if the anchoring is insufficient to prevent migration.

“Although the probability is very low, it is possible that under long-term pressure from inside the body, traditional implants might plug into bones gradually, or become detached from bones. But there will be no such problems for 3D printed implants,” said Liu Zhongjun, Director, Orthopedics Department, Peking University.

The team at Peking University began their research into 3D printing orthopedic implants in 2009, and applied for human clinical trials in 2012. This is the first attempt to use the technique on a human patient, with previous animal studies showing encouraging results.

Doctors hope that custom-printed implants could make orthopedic surgeries more effective and less painful for the patient.




SOURCE  Forbes

By 33rd Square

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