3D printing assists in Belgium’s first full-face transplant

full face 3d repair

Belgian' first full-face transplant was performed in January -- using 3D printing to streamline the procedure. Photo credit: Wired.

The July 2012 issue of Wired magazine has an article about how a 65-strong medical team at Ghent University Hospital, headed by Phillip Blondeel, performed the country’s first full-face transplant. What’s really fascinating, and why we’re bringing it up here, is that the virtual pre-operative plan the surgeons followed was devised by the CMF (cranio-maxillo facial) clinical engineers at Materialise, a Belgian 3D-printing company.

This was the world’s nineteenth face transplant, but it was the first time that the procedure was fully planned digitally like this. First, engineers scanned the patient’s face with CT scanner. Then they used 3D visualizing software ProPlan CMF to digitally examine the defects so they could 3D print anatomically correct models of what healthy bones in the man’s face should look like. Printed “guides” were then used as a reference during the surgery, sitting on the donor’s face so the surgeon knows exactly where to cut.

In just six days after surgery, the patient was able to speak. This was well ahead of anyone’s expectations, and as Materialize Clinical Team Manager Joris Bellinckx commented, “He defied all odds.”

Enjoy this video, which illustrates the entire process:

Source: Wired, Materialise CMF

  • http://www.kraftwurx.com Chris Waldo

    This is simply miraculous.

  • richard

    could someone get into the 3-d printing and imaging industry as a (engineering contract design services business ) since it has so much potential in a lot of areas, this would be good in research and development where you take something and make it better. Just an idea for thought

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