How 3D Printing Helped Save a Child's Life
Transforming Medical Solutions with 3D Printing
The applications of 3D printing are vast and increasingly impactful, extending far beyond experimentation. Not only does 3D printing play significant roles in architecture and engineering, but it is also making remarkable contributions to the field of medicine. This innovative technology is proving to be crucial in saving lives and improving healthcare outcomes.
Premise
A 4-year-old girl suffered from craniosynostosis, a congenital condition where the joints of the skull fuse prematurely during infancy. This abnormal fusion leads to a deformed skull with crevices and cavities that restrict normal brain growth. Increased intracranial pressure due to this deformity can impair visual, auditory, and olfactory functions, potentially causing irreversible nerve damage and mental retardation.
Proposed Conventional Surgical Solution
The child was advised to undergo reconstructive surgery to relieve intracranial pressure, ensure the brain had enough space to develop, and improve the appearance of her head. The surgical plan involved:
- CT scan imaging of the patient’s skull
- Well-documented markings on paper
- Estimations of bone cuts based on CT scan images
Drawbacks of the Conventional Surgical Solution
The conventional surgical approach had several limitations:
- Imaging techniques were essentially two-dimensional, leaving much to the surgeon’s discretion and experience.
- Decisions on how to initiate the surgery were sometimes made on the operating table due to a lack of precise proportions.
- Medical students found it challenging to understand the procedure’s nuances due to the lack of precision and their inexperience.
- CT scans had limitations in visualizing the skull’s exact dimensions.
- Suture lengths were not accurately depicted on plain radiographs.
How 3D Printing Helped in the Exact Imaging of the Deformed Skull
- The deformed skull underwent CT scan imaging, which was converted into a 3D file.
- The 3D files were post-processed to remove noise for error-free printing.
- The file was then 3D printed.
- A mock surgery was performed on the 3D-printed replica of the patient’s skull.
- Noise in the 3D File:
- Challenge: The CT scan images contained noise that could result in erroneous printing.
- Solution: Post-processing the 3D files eliminated the noise, ensuring accurate prints.
- Long Print Time Interrupted by Power Cuts:
- Challenge: Frequent power cuts in Pondicherry interrupted the estimated 9-hour print time.
- Solution: An auto-resume code was developed to allow the 3D printer to continue from the last printing point after a power cut.
- Wall Thickness:
- Challenge: The skull’s thickness was 0.7 mm, thinner than the 1 mm limit of FDM/FFF printing.
- Solution: A special 0.2 mm nozzle was developed to achieve the required wall thickness of 0.7 mm.
The Final Product of the 3D Printing
After overcoming the obstacles and resolving the challenges, the 3D printer produced a precise replica of the patient’s skull. This replica was used for mock surgery to determine the actual surgical plan.
Final Steps
The deformed skull was 3D printed to the precise scale and thickness, allowing the medical team to perform a mock surgery and finalize the surgical plan.
Current Scenario
The patient underwent successful surgery for craniosynostosis on October 1st. She is now recovering well and showing positive improvements in her cranial condition.