Skull transplant using 3D printer

Skull transplant thanks to 3D printer (TNO) In a groundbreaking surgery, a patient in the US had 75% of his skull replaced with a graft printed from a 3D Printer. An unnamed patient received a perfect skull transplant thanks to a pioneering approach by researchers from a company in Connecticut (USA).

 (TNO) In a groundbreaking surgery, a patient in the US has had 75% of his skull replaced with a 3D-printed implant.

An unnamed patient has had a perfect skull transplant thanks to a pioneering approach by researchers from a company in Connecticut (USA).

To prepare for the skull transplant, scientists digitally scanned the patient’s skull and “printed” it layer by layer. The implant is specially designed based on the structure of polyetherketoneketone material, to encourage cell and bone growth.

According to Gizmodo, the implant can be completed within 2 weeks. Oxford Performance Materials is hoping to use the new 3D printing technology to replace broken or damaged bones in patients’ bodies, caused by cancer, traffic accidents and bullet wounds on the battlefield.