A Beijing University hospital has made a worldwide first with a successful 3D-printing spinal implant operation and the spinal substitute is a 3D-printed 19-centimeter titanium mesh tube implanted to reconstruct the spinal link and support between chest and abdomen of the patient.
"For me, it's a scenario of no cure without 3D printing."
The patient, surnamed Yuan, is the authenticity for the success of the operation conducted at the Beijing University Third Hospital and for the use of the 3D printing technology.
Mr. Yuan can already try walking by himself shortly after the implant operation.
Mr. Yuan is not exaggerating. Two weeks ago before the operation, he is one diagnosed with a malignant tumor on his backbone. The only effective treatment is to remove five sections of his backbone and to replace them with artificial substitutes.
The orthopedics specialist at the university-affiliated hospital decides to resort to 3D printing to generate some mesh tubes which will allow normal spinal tissues to grow into and through so as to reconstruct the backbone of the patient.
"The titanium mesh tube can only be this long; far shorter than 19 centimeters. 3D printing comes to our assistance to produce implants of whatever size and shape," explains Dr. Liu Zhongjun, the chief orthopedics surgeon.
Now with the patient already enabled to walk on his own again, the doctor cannot help letting out his confidence.
"Our prognosis is that the patient will have a full recovery."
The 3D implant operation in Beijing is just one initial medical application justifying the approval by the China Food and Drug Administration of the 3D printing technology. The agency on May 6 approved the 3D printed spinal sections for medical application. Now the implant operation and the FDA approval combine to place China in the forefront of the 3D printing application in the domain of medicine. More on: [ Ссылка ]
Subscribe us on Youtube: [ Ссылка ]
CCTV+ official website: [ Ссылка ]
LinkedIn: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
