Cancer patient gets world’s first 3D printed ribcage and sternum implant.
A 54 year old Spanish man has recieved the world’s first 3D printed ribcage and sternum implant. The spanish citizen was suffering from a cancerous tumor growing in his chest wall and sternum called a sarcoma.
In order to remove the tumor completely parts of the ribcage and sternum had to be removed. Usually a flat titanium plate is used to replace the missing rib cage however this can come loose and cause complications.
By creating high resolution CT scans of the patient’s chest doctors were able to accurately measure the remaining chest and sternum and thus design a custom fitted replacement. Once the rib replacement was 3D printed at CSIRO’s 3D printing laboratory it was shipped to the Salamanca University Hospital were it was implanted into the patient’s chest. The operation was now more than 2 weeks ago and so far the patient as not shown any complications.
Images: http://csironewsblog.com/2015/09/11/cancer-patient-receives-3d-printed-ribs-in-world-first-surgery/
Sources: http://csironewsblog.com/2015/09/11/cancer-patient-receives-3d-printed-ribs-in-world-first-surgery/
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