World’s First 3D-printed Ribcage and Sternum Implant
3D printing has really gone a long way. While we did know that it held great potential right from the start, many applications back then were more of the fun, hobbyist nature. Think 3D-printed chocolate, figurines, and jewelry – at least in the private sector.
In recent years, we’ve seen more serious applications of 3D printing. Remember Tieta the toucan who got a 3D-printed beak?
This world’s first in 3D printing is even more impressive – and life-changing: a 3D-printed ribcage and sternum.
Made of titanium, the 3D-printed ribcage and sternum was made by an Australian company was implanted into a Spanish cancer patient’s body. According to the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation):
Suffering from a chest wall sarcoma (a type of cancerous tumour that grows, in this instance, around the rib cage), the 54 year old man needed his sternum and a portion of his rib cage replaced. This part of the chest is notoriously tricky to recreate with prosthetics, due to the complex geometry and design required for each patient. So the patient’s surgical team determined that a fully customisable 3D printed sternum and rib cage was the best option.
That’s when they turned to Melbourne-based medical device company Anatomics, who designed and manufactured the implant utilising our 3D printing facility, Lab 22.
While chest prosthetics have been used, experts say the implants can be very tricky. With this 3D-printed apparatus, complications are less likely; and a couple of weeks since the implant, the surgery seems to have been successful, with the patient having been discharged and hopefully well on his way to full recovery.
How did they create the 3D-printed ribcage and sternum exactly? You can watch the explanation of the process via this video.
