Earlier this week, a man (whose identity remains anonymous) underwent cranial surgery and had 75% of his skull replaced by a 3D-printed implant. The above image is simply a model of what a 3D-printed head implant looks like, and is obviously not the man’s skull, considering his skull is still kicking around in his head. Connecticut-based Oxford Performance Materials (OPM), a medical technology company, had to wait to gain approval from US regulators before attempting the procedure, as it is quite unorthodox.
Considering the delicacy of the procedure and the fact that you can’t just 3D-print a precise object on the fly (at least, not one that has the important job of keeping a brain inside a head), the medical team had to first scan the patient’s head using a 3D imaging system. After the image was created, OPM was able to tailor the implant to the man’s head before printing it. Rather than just a skull-shaped object with a smooth surface, the implant is covered with detailing that allows for growth of cell and bone. The implant is made from polyetherketoneketone, a type of thermoplastic, which fortunately won’t get in the way of X-rays.
As to the logistics of replacing 75% of a man’s skull with a 3D-printed implant, the report is light on details — most likely to help maintain the patient’s confidentiality. However, it’s probably safe to assume that the 75% number refers to the mass of the patient’s skull, rather than actual coverage.
The FDA actually approved the process back in February, but the news has only just now been revealed. OPM says an implant can be created in around two weeks, after the company receives a patient’s scans, of course, and boasts that around 500 injured people per month could make use of the 3D-printed implant technology. Perhaps now that the FDA has approved such a procedure, 3D-printed objects being used to fix our heads will become a little more common.
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