Report 3D-printed vertebra used in spine surgery

[FireCat]

Surgeons in Beijing, China, have successfully implanted an artificial, 3D-printed vertebra replacement in a young boy with bone cancer. They say it is the first time such a procedure has ever been done.

During a five-hour operation, the doctors first removed the tumor located in the second vertebra of 12-year-old Minghao's neck and replaced it with the 3D-printed implant between the first and third vertebrae, CCTV.com reported earlier this month.

"This is the first use of a 3D-printed vertebra as an implant for orthopedic spine surgery in the world," said Dr. Liu Zhongjun, the director of orthopedics at No. 3 Hospital, Peking University, who performed the surgery.

3D-printed vertebra used in spine surgery

12-year-old boy with bone cancer is the first to receive a 3D-printed vertebra in spinal surgery

www.cbsnews.com

Just hope, his body won't reject the new spine.

 

[Varine]

Its china, something will go wrong.

 

[KaerfNomekop]

I wonder what materials they used to make the new vertebra. Would it be stronger than the original bone?

 

[Accname]

Propably some form of plastic, in which case it might very well be stronger then bone but perhaps not as lightweight. Hard to tell because plastic can be very different depending on the chemicals used to make it.

 

[Varine]

And its China so pretty shitty inherently.

 

[Hatebreeder]

It's only a matter of time till it explodes

 

[The Helper]

Are they still doing this I wonder...