3D printing to rebuild patient's face

2013-11-19 16:38 China Daily Web Editor: Yao Lan

3D printing to rebuild patient's face

Surgeons in Swansea are using 3D printing technology to rebuild a patient's face which was crushed in a motorbike accident.

It works by using images from a CT scan to design implants that are created in titanium by a 3D printer.

The groundbreaking work is being led by Morriston Hospital consultant maxillofacial surgeon Adrian Sugar.

It is being featured in an exhibition at the Science Museum in London before the operation itself is carried out.

There have been cases using custom-made titanium implants to correct congenital conditions, those which arise at birth or shortly after.

However, this is thought to be one of the first such reconstructions following an injury.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board's maxillofacial laboratory services manager and reconstructive scientist Peter Evans said: "The patient suffered trauma and had multiple injuries across his body, including some quite severe facial injuries.

"He underwent emergency surgery at the time and we are now at the stage where we can do a proper reconstruction of his face."

The project is the work of the Centre of Applied Reconstructive Technologies in Surgery (Cartis).

The centre was established in 2006 as a partnership between Morriston Hospital's maxillofacial unit and Product Design and Research (PDR) based at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Cartis aims to make Wales a world leader in the research, development and application of advanced medical technologies in surgery.

Mr Sugar and Mr Evans worked with PDR's Sean Peel and Ffion O'Malley to plan the complex surgery, which will involve repositioning the patient's facial bones.

They worked from a CT scan that allowed them to create a mirror image of the unaffected side of the patient's face.

From this they designed guides to cut and position the bones with pinpoint accuracy, as well as implants tailor-made for the patient.

The guides and implants are being produced from medical-grade titanium in Belgium.

Mr Evans added: "We have done everything up the point of surgery. The concept of the operation has been virtually designed and we hope to do the work very soon.

"The patient's facial symmetry will be restored so he should be back to normal as far as his facial looks are concerned."

英国外科医生用3D打印修复患者面容

英国斯旺西的外科医生正在用3D打印技术来修复一个病人的脸部，该患者的脸在一次摩托车事故中受创。

他们利用CT扫描的影像来设计移植物，该移植物是通过3D打印机用钛合金打印的。

此项开创性的工作是由莫里斯顿医院颌面外科医生艾德里安·休格领导的。

在进行手术之前，它在伦敦科学博物馆的一个展览会上亮相了。

已经有案例将定制的钛合金移植物应用于矫正出生时或出生后不久形成的先天性不足。

但是，此次手术被认为受伤后修复手术的先例。

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg大学健康委员会颌面实验服务经理、修复专家彼得•埃文斯说：“患者遭受创伤，全身多处受伤，面部也严重受伤。”

“当时我们给他做了急诊手术，现在我们正在尽力给他做一个面部修复手术”。

该项目是外科应用重建技术中心（Cartis）的杰作。

该中心成立于2006年，是莫里斯顿颌面部门和位于卡迪夫城市大学的产品设计和研究所（FDR）合作设立的。