Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board
Renishaw Rib implant 2 lowres
The 3D printed titanium implant.
Suregons in Wales have successfully implanted a 3D printed titanium prosthetic for the reconstruction of a grandfather's chest wall, after the removal of a cancerous tumour.
Peter Maggs developed a lump on his chest last year which was eventually diagnosed as a sarcoma (cancer of the soft tissue) in the cartilage of one of his ribs. Undergoing surgery, Maggs had three ribs and half his breastbone removed by the surgical team at Morriston Hospital. Doctors then turned to Renishaw’s metal 3D printing technology to provide a prosthetic implant of the three missing ribs.
Traditionally, this kind of procedure would have seen doctors reconstruct the chest wall with a special cement prosthesis, but since Maggs suffers with heart issues, they preferred 3D printing to minimise the time spent under the knife. The 3D printed titanium prosthetic reduced surgery time by two hours, and contributed to a successful procedure.
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board
CT Scan Renishaw Rib implant 1
CT Scan of Peter Maggs' chest.
“Traditionally the operation would have used a cement prosthesis, prepared at the time of surgery,” commented Ira Goldsmith, one of the consultant surgeons involved in the procedure. “Although it can be fairly substantial, it is not a precise fit, and it can move, causing problems such as dislocation. We are very pleased with the outcome [of the 3D printed prosthesis]. The implant is a perfect fit. Titanium is very string and any problems like dislocation are reduced or even eliminated because the implant is anchored securely to the ribs and breastbone.”
Goldsmith designed the implant after conducting a CT scan of Maggs’ chest. Using these scans, Morriston’s biomedical 3D technician, Heather Goodrum, and maxillofacial laboratory service manager, Peter Llewelyn Evans created the bespoke implant in partnership with Renishaw. It is believed this is the first time an implant of this kind has been 3D printed in the UK. Sewing the implant into place, it was then covered with a section of latissimus dorsi muscle, which Thomas Bragg, another consultant surgeon, had harvested from Maggs’ upper back, before the wound was closed. All in, the procedure took around eight hours.
“It was the first time for this procedure to be carried out in Wales and because of its success we plan to carry it out again in the future,” Goldsmith added. “We have also liaised with Swansea University and together we are drawing up protocols enabling other surgeons around the world to learn from us so they can use this technique on their own patients.”
