The 54-year-old patient’s surgical team at Salamanca University Hospital in Spain figured that a customised, 3D-printed prosthetic would be the best solution. The complex geometry of the rib cage meant that a prosthetic had to be custom-made for the patient. In the past, thoracic surgeons have implanted flat plates and screws made of titanium, but these can loosen over time, leading to complications and additional operations. This new prosthetic, however, was constructed for long-term fixation.
By using high-resolution CT scanning, the company Anatomics managed to create a 3D reconstruction of the patient’s chest wall and the tumour. “We were able to design an implant with a rigid sternal core and semi-flexible titanium rods to act as prosthetic ribs attached to the sternum," says Anatomics CEO Andrew Batty.
After the implant had been designed, it was printed using a 3D-printer. The printer works by directing an electron beam at a bed of titanium powder in order to melt it. This process is then repeated until the implant is finished.
