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An Australian neurosurgeon has performed what he has described as a "world first" by removing cancerous vertebrae and implanting in their place 3D printed vertebrae.
Ralph Mobbs, who was interviewed by ABC News in Australia, performed the surgery in late 2015 on a patient with chordoma, a rare form of cancer that occurs in the bones of the skull and spine. The 60-year-old patient was affected in the two vertebrae responsible for turning the head -- meaning that if the 15 hour surgery failed, he'd be left paralysed.
Because of the position and function of these vertebrae, however, they're very hard to replace -- any bones implanted from the rest of the body has to be a very exact fit. So, to avoid the issue, Mobbs decided to 3D printthe replacements instead. He worked with a company called Anatomics to design and build the implants, which were made from titanium.
The company also printed exact anatomical models of the patient's head for Mobbs to practice on before the surgery itself.
It was the first time such an operation had been attempted. Mobbs told ABC that 3D printing was "the next phase of individualised health care."
"To restore bones, joints, organs with this type of technology really is exciting," he said. "Well, here is our opportunity to really take it out there and to keep pushing the boundaries."
Although the patient's tumour has been removed and he can move his neck, he is currently unable to speak or eat without assistance. But Mobbs stresses that with rehabilitative treatment, these problems will be resolved.
Other surgeons and scientists have also experimented with 3D printed body parts. Scientists recently proved the feasibility or growing a 3D printed ear on a mouse's back, a procedure they say could soon be applied to human transplanting too. And, less gorily, anatomy students at Australia's Monash University started training for surgery on 3D printed organs.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
