A 22-year-old woman from the Netherlands who suffers from a chronic bone disorder -- which has increased the thickness of her skull from 1.5cm to 5cm, causing reduced eyesight and severe headaches -- has had the top section of her skull removed and replaced with a 3D printed implant.
The operation was performed by a team of neurosurgeons at the University Medical Centre Utrecht and the university claims this is this first instance of a successful 3D printed cranium that has not been rejected by the patient.
The operation, which took 23 hours, was led by Dr Bon Verweij. The patient's skull was so thick, that had the operation not been performed, serious brain damage or death may have occurred in the near future.
"It was only a matter of time before critical brain functions were compromised and she would die", said Dr Verweij. Major surgery was inevitable, but prior to the 3D printing technique, there was no ideal effective treatment.
The skull was made specifically for the patient using an unspecified durable plastic. Since the operation, the patient has gained her sight back entirely, is symptom-free and back to work. It is not known whether the plastic will require replacing at a later date or if it will last a lifetime.
The lead surgeon had previous experience with 3D reconstructions of skulls, but such a large implant had never been accomplished before. "It is almost impossible to see that she's ever had surgery," said Dr Verweij in the university's official statement.
It is hoped this technique can also be used for patients with other bone disorders or to repair severely damaged skulls after an accident or tumour.
Baltar: "I don't want to miss a moment of the last Battlestar's destruction!"
Centurion: "Sir, I really think you should look at the other Battlestar."
Baltar: "What are you babbling about other...it's impossible!"
Centurion: "No. It is a Battlestar."
Corrax Entry 7:17: So you walk eternally through the shadow realms, standing against evil where all others falter. May your thirst for retribution never quench, may the blood on your sword never dry, and may we never need you again.
That is way cool. The only issue I can think of is the potential for infection. My pastor's father had to have his pacemaker taken out because of that, and I saw a NOVA episode on separating twins conjoined at the head where they got delayed because the saline solution implants inserted to stretch the skin to where it could cover the hole got infected.
Borgholio wrote:Kinda makes you wonder what anthropologists will think in 100k years when they dig up that skeleton. Talk about a "What the holy fuck..." moment.
I think by that point they're going to have run across a lot of other women who have non-biodegradable parts. Not saying which ones.
The Vortex Empire: I think the real question is obviously how a supervolcano eruption wiping out vast swathes of the country would affect the 2016 election. Borgholio: The GOP would blame Obama and use the subsequent nuclear winter to debunk global warming.
Borgholio wrote:Kinda makes you wonder what anthropologists will think in 100k years when they dig up that skeleton. Talk about a "What the holy fuck..." moment.
More like a "Oh? A cranium implant? Didn't expect that - need to update the historic database. Let's see, who got buried at this place? Nope, nothing in the records for her... *tippity tappity*" moment.
You forget that we only have holy crap moments in historical digs because we don't have tons of archived material on earlier periods. Future diggers might probably already know who exactly they are digging up, depending on the tons of detailed paperwork we are leaving behind in archives.
A minute's thought suggests that the very idea of this is stupid. A more detailed examination raises the possibility that it might be an answer to the question "how could the Germans win the war after the US gets involved?" - Captain Seafort, in a thread proposing a 1942 'D-Day' in Quiberon Bay
Even if we did, there would probably be stories/myths of medical wonders.
We've already dug up people thousands of years old with artificial parts, though not quite of this sort. For example, several thousand years ago an Egyptian woman was buried with her prosthetic toe attached to her mummy.
A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory.Leonard Nimoy.
Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.- Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity, which sums up my feelings regarding the lawsuit discussed here.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. - John F. Kennedy
Examination of Peruvian skulls, by today’s physicians, reveals that these cranial surgeries rarely became infected, and most survived. Even more impressive are the skulls exhibiting successful cranio-plasties (plates inserted into the trephination holes) made of silver and gold, which were placed with such skill that the bone healed around them.
So, yeah, want reactions, just look up what people said finding these
