Doctors at the Dutch University Hospital in Utrecht successfully transplanted a plastic skull, which had been made with the help of a 3D printer, into a 22-year-old female patient.
The UMC of Utrecht University says that this operation is a world first. The woman needed the operation because her skull was getting thicker, compressing her brain and impairing its function. Her skull had become 5cm thick, while a normal skull is up to about 1.5cm. The operation was performed 3 months ago, but the University Hospital made it public recently. The patient's details were not made public, for obvious reasons, but it was announced that the woman has already returned to work and her normal life.
Plastic
Her medical team, led by neurologist Ben Verweij, decided to replace her skull with a plastic one, produced by a specialist Australian company. The operation lasted 23 hours, and was a complete success, the hospital says.
"The implants that used to be made by hand, on site in the operating room, using a type of cement, were far from ideal," said Verweij. "Using 3D printing we can make a precise size. This not only has aesthetic advantages, but also the patients' brains often recover their function better than using the old method.".
The hospital says the technique can be used on patients who have other bone problems or to help recover people who have suffered serious head injuries.
Other hospitals have successfully placed skull implants in patients, but this is the first time a complete skull has been replaced, the surgeon said.
Please be careful with the video below because it shows harsh images of the operation. Not suitable for children under 12 years of age. Watch at your own risk. It is in Dutch with English subtitles.
