Surgeons in Bulgaria have just accomplished a world first by successfully implanting a 3D printed rib into a patient now they hope to do more
3D printing is changing the world in many wonderful ways. The most recent being that it has been used to do the worlds first rib implant. The procedure, which was performed at the Tokuda Hospital in Bulgaria. The implant was crafted out of an FDA-approved material called Nylon 680.
It is said the implant was drastically cheaper than titanium and printed in less than 24 hours at the cost of $114. 3DGence was the company that manufactured the 3D-printer used for the procedure. They confirmed the material is unique because it can withstand the temperatures necessary for sterilization. It also functions much more like to an actual rib, unlike the titanium implants.
“The patient, Ivaylo Josifov, was diagnosed with a rib deformation (and) the doctors were concerned that the deformity may progress, and decided to replace the rib with an implant,” Mateusz Sidorowicz, director of marketing at 3DGence, told Digital Trends.
The surgery was a success and the patient is doing well. They now hope to implant even more 3D printed bones including 3 more ribs and replacement sternum.
“This is a new era in thoracic wall reconstruction for patients with tumors,” says Professor Tzvetan Minchev, Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the hospital.
“The material used has proven tissue compatibility and the accuracy of reproduction allows for large chest wall resections …with individually designed implants.”
The future is looking brighter as technology works to improve our lives.
by 