Child Born With Exposed Brain Has Life Saved By 3D-Printed Skull

A baby born with exposed brain has had its life saved by a 3D-printed skull. Surgeons in Poland saved the life of the child by 3D-printing the missing part of her skull. The newborn, from Rzeszow, did not have a formed occipital bone, leaving brain tissue partially exposed. If left untreated, it would have left her susceptible to infections that would almost certainly have proved deadly. With the defect not diagnosed during pregnancy, vital surgery was needed within days of birth and the delicate nature of the procedure required exacting preparation. A key element was the production of a physical model of the child’s skull on a 1:1 scale to allow surgeons to visualise and prepare for the operation. Doctors were able to patch her up using skin and soft tissue from other parts of her body in an extremely delicate two-hour procedure. The operation only offered a temporary solution to her defect, preventing infection by closing the open part of her head. She will need further surgeries to reconstruct the missing bone in the future, which will also use 3D-printing technology. Her bones are still growing so medics are waiting for the skull to develop further before performing the reconstructive operation.