Medical 3D Printing Breakthrough

In a medical 3D printing breakthrough, a man who suffered disfiguration from cancer gets a new prosthetic face and improved quality of life.

Four years ago, Briton Eric Moger was diagnosed with cancer when doctors found a tumor the size of a tennis ball growing inside his face. Moger immediately underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the procedure also left him disfigured, literally missing part of his face.

In what is considered a first procedure of its kind, UK doctors have used medical 3D printing technology to create a new prosthetic face for Moger that matches the tone of his skin and includes a cheek, eye, and eyebrow.

The medical team used 3D scanning technology to develop a model of 60-year-old Moger’s face and then printed the prosthetic in nylon plastic.

In addition to giving Moger a more appealing look, the 3D printed face is also functional; it keeps water from spilling out of the cavity left behind from surgery when he drinks.

This is quite a medical breakthrough. In other examples, medical 3D printing techniques has been used to 3D print a new beak for a injured bald eagle and quickly fabricate a new titanium jaw for a woman inflicted with an infection.

The doctors hope that in the future these types of prosthetics can be printed in silicon for a more comfortable and even more natural look.

Via The Telegraph.

Photo credit: Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph