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N E W D I M E N S I O N S
FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION
3D Printing's Potential
T
here's been some exciting news
coming out of England about the sur-
gical application of 3D printing. A
team of investigators from Cardiff
Metropolitan University's National Centre for
Product Design and Development Research
teamed with maxillofacial surgeon Adrian
Sugar, MD, to reconstruct the face of Stephen
Power, a 29-year-old motorcycle accident vic-
tim who suffered significant facial trauma.
After an initial emergency surgery to
repair his jaw, cheeks, nose and eye sock-
ets, Mr. Power underwent a second proce-
dure in an attempt to restore his pre-acci-
dent appearance. It wouldn't be easy — Dr.
Sugar would have to cut and move bones
around delicate anatomy.
Enter the Cardiff researchers. Led by engi-
neer Sean Peel, the team used CT scans to
create a virtual model of Mr. Power's face
with 3D printing techniques. They then
worked closely with the surgical team to plot
precise locations of cuts that would free up
facial bones. To apply the model in the OR, the
researchers printed a saw guide that fit
securely around the 3D model.
Before surgery, the researchers and clini-
cal team removed bone segments from the
model and repositioned them to replicate the
desired anatomy. The team then created cus-
LONG ROAD BACK Researchers developed
3D-printed models and implants that surgeons
used to reconstruct the face of Stephen Power.
Cardiff
University
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