2022-06-21
A Dubai doctor has completed a series of surgeries on a young patient with a facial deformity, using a 3D-printed titanium implant.
The medical team said the procedure was the first of its kind in the world and completely reconstructed the facial bones of the patient, who had been severely damaged by multiple benign tumours
The operation was led by Dr. Jihad Al Sukun, a renowned maxillofacial surgeon from the United Arab Emirates. "For the first time, we have designed a 3D titanium face implant using 3D printing technology to reconstruct defects in facial bones," he said in Today's journal. “THE PATIENT HEALED WELL WITH AN AMAZING AESTHETIC OUTCOME. WE LIVE IN A NEW ERA NOW.”
Dr Jehad Al Sukhun, specialist oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Emirates Hosptial. Photo via Emirates Hospital
3D printing has long been used to create anatomical models, among other things, to help surgeons simulate complex operations and train them to improve their success rates.
3D printing is now being used to create biocompatible, patient-specific implants that promote bone cell growth and repair malformed structures. Now, a research team in South Korea has carried out a similar study, demonstrating that 3D printed titanium implants in the jaw are highly effective and safe. Of the 28 implants, 27 were highly effective for bone fusion and other oral/maxillofacial uses.
Meanwhile, in December 2021, Health Canada approved a titanium mandibular plate for facial reconstruction using 3D-printed implants. In February 2022, Manipal Hospital in India also reconstructed a patient's entire chest cavity and ribs with 3D-printed titanium implants, which meant the patient could dispense with medical ventilation.
Entire sternum ribs reconstruction using a 3D printed custom-made titanium implant. Image via Manipal Hospitals.
The surgical team in the United Arab Emirates faced significant challenges in performing the surgery. The man suffered severe facial bone damage, which left him unable to breathe, eat or speak properly.
The medical team conducted a series of investigations, including the use of CT and MRI scans and histopathological biopsies, to evaluate the best treatment for young patients. After gathering all the information they needed, the team performed a series of surgeries to extract benign tumors and reconstruct the patient's facial bones.
The choice of 3D-printed implants means that patients do not need to transplant soft and hard microvessels from the legs, abdomen and other parts of the body multiple times to reconstruct the bones of the face. This will have more beneficial effects on the patient's life in the future.
The medical team chose the method based on recent reports of several successful reconstructive 3D-printed implants. According to Su, the patient healed well and the aesthetic results were "amazing", something that alternative methods such as skin and bone grafts could not achieve.
