Surgeons at a hospital in Beijing have performed the world's first surgery to involve a 3D-printed vertebra.
The operation was for a 12-year-old boy named Minghao, who had developed cancer in his vertebra after injuring his neck while playing soccer, according to CCTV. His vertebra had to be surgically removed and replaced with a 3D-printed version.
After lying in the orthopedics ward for over two months, he was only able to stand up on occasion, and for a few minutes.
3D-printing has been used for medical purposes before, albeit for different situations like knee and hip replacements, 3DPrint.com reported. Benefits of the technology for these operations include allowing for a variety of forms to be created, reducing the amount of additional hardware needed for keeping the average implant in place, and the printed implant letting the bone grow into it and create a natural bond.
The surgery could only be performed in five hospitals in China, CCTV reported. The boy's spinal cord, internal and external carotid arteries and the trachea were operated on, and once the surgeons removed the vertebra, they placed an implant between the first and third vertebrae so the boy would be able to raise his head after surgery.
"Using existing technology, the patient's head needs to be framed with pins after surgery," said Liu Zhongjun, director of orthopedics at Peking University Third Hospital. "The patient's head cannot touch the bed when he is resting. This lasts for at least three months. But with 3D printing technology, we can simulate the shape of the vertebra, which is much stronger and more convenient than traditional methods."
The recovery for the surgery is long and difficult, 3DPrint.com reported. However, because the surgeons managed to create the shape of the vertebra, they were able to complete the operation more easily, and the implant was stronger than it would be had the shape not been achieved.
It took the doctors five hours to replace the original vertebra with the new 3D-printed one, CCTV reported.
Minghao was still unable to speak five days after the surgery, and had to communicate using a writing board. However, doctors said he is in good physical health and that he will soon finish his recovery.
