Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Doctors Replace Patient's Thoracic Vertebrae With 3D-Printed Replica

Posted by timothy on from the unbeatable-bragging-rights dept.

ErnieKey (3766427) writes Earlier this month, surgeons at Zhejiang University in China performed a surgery to remove two damaged vertebrae from a 21-year-old patient. In their place they inserted a 3D printed titanium implant which was shaped to the exact size needed for the patient's body. The surgery, which took doctors much less time and provided significantly less risk [than conventional surgery] was completely successful and the patient is expected to make a full recovery. This is said to be the first ever surgery involving 3D printing vertebrae in order to replace a patient's thoracic vertebrae.

2 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Re:timothy by Khyber · · Score: 5, Informative

    "3d printing with titanium?"

    NASA did it like last year, or year before that.

    Try keeping up with the pace of technology, luddite.

    ~Signed,
    Person with a 3-d printed titanium femur and 3-d printed plastic composite patella.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  2. No logical benefit from this by spineboy · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm an orthopaedic surgeon, and I doubt it's anything more than just a typical spacer that is commonly used.

    OK found the article, and I'm corect.

    http://3dprint.com/30512/3d-pr...

    The title is misleading - it's just a 3D printed version of spacers that are commonly used - it really doesn't look, nor function any differently than the ones currently being used. The patient had a non-ossifying fibroma - rare in the spine, but benign, and will turn into regular bone eventually. This could have been treated with some bone graft and a plate and screws, which is basically what they did.

    Nothing really new here.

    --
    ..........FULL STOP.