These "cranioimplants," hailed as a world first in combining 3D printing with body-absorbable materials, are set to be absorbed and replaced by natural bone within 18 months.
Image: NCBiR/gov.pl
The innovative technology was developed by a Polish consortium led by Syntplant, and involved collaboration with both research and clinical institutions, which included Wrocław Medical University, the Moratex Institute of Security Technologies in Łódź, Galen-Ortopedia in Bieruń, Artdent Clinic in Kalisz, Ludwik Perzyna Regional Hospital in Kalisz, the Poznań University of Technology, the Silesian University of Technology, and the 4th Military Clinical Hospital and Polyclinic in Wrocław.
Life-changing operations
Dr. Pavlo Plavskyi and his team at the Ohmatdyt National Children's Specialized Clinic in Kyiv performed these life-changing operations around the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023.
The unique aspect of these implants is their precise adaptability to each patient's needs, modeled on computer tomography scans of the affected area.
They are made from osteogenic (bone-forming) filaments that gradually dissolve, allowing for natural bone growth without the need for multiple surgeries, which is a significant concern in growing children.
The procedure offers cosmetic restoration while enabling normal skull growth.
Monika Dobrzyńska-Mizera, a researcher from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Poznań University of Technology in western Poland, emphasized the uniqueness of this technology, which sets it apart from other bone replacement methods that are more traditional and less precise in both fit and dissolution timing.
The trio treated in Kyiv are among the first patients who have benefited from this technology, with implants used in various bone reconstruction surgeries.
Customized biodegradable implants
The success of these procedures has been a game-changer for the three children and their families. The project's aim is to extend this breakthrough to thousands of children worldwide, with the range of personalised prostheses to be extended to a maximum of seven size groups with different shapes and dimensions.
Funded with nearly PLN 8 million (EUR 1.85 million, USD 2 million) from Poland's National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR), and co-financed from European funds to a similar amount, the project, entitled "Development of Customized Biodegradable Implants for Bone Reconstruction Procedures," heralds a new direction in pediatric surgery.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, gov.pl
