3D Printed Vertebrae Save Man's Life

this tech working in concert with stem cells opens up a new branch of 21st century medicine that st best was a dream when I was a kid

http://tenplay.com.au/news/national/february/stem-cells-used-to-regrow-damaged-knee-cartilage-in-worldfirst

Thanks for posting this, Fredski, interesting ..., well, really, the concept and execution are mind-blowing.

Luckily for me, I have no experience with bad knees/need (kneed?) for replacement parts. But I hear the surgery and the rehab are painful, so say the least. If this procedure reduces or eliminates the need for surgery a lot of athletes will be thrilled.

Then there's the cost of this procedure vs. old technology, but that's getting ahead of myself.

I'm glad that I only have to imagine that any day is a good day when you can get a needed replacement for a body part

Amen to that!

I'm excited.... just think of what the future of 3D printed of especially one organ part can do for our politicians.

One detail missing:

They might be able to print a vertabrae, but how put it in place? There is a lot of nerves, passing through the part, as a conduit for the bundle that cannot be cut without

loss of functionality.

Our cable boom has no removable connectors as e.g. in a car.

did you even watch the video?????

Yes

The higher the vertebrae is located, the less weight is on it.

For the neck, this might be doable, but the lower vertebrae carry a lot more weight and have more dynamic pressure, unless you live upside down and bounce on your head to move.

Cutting everything around there is not an option.

So a 2 part assembly is the only option left.

Compression fractures and distortions in the L1 to L5 section are pretty common and until now laser techniques or cutting and immobilization the nerve channel seem to be the only option left.

This is replacement, not reproduction of diseased vertebrae. I imagine multiple custom titanium pieces are printed to fit and support where the diseased bone must be removed. (I imagine because the link did not work for me.)

it was done with 2 pieces, one printed and then joined with titanium

Vertebral replacements in cases of cancer and other diseases of these bones is a quite common procedure,having been done worldwide for some decades now.

I rememeber having taken part of one of these surgeries at the Uni Klinik Frankfurt back in 1986. Materials have improved, results are much better now... but the surgical technique is still the same.

Abut your question on how much the the printed replacement will last: probably for ever: these metal printouts perhaps might be found in 3,000 years from now by some archeologysts digging on a yard that used to be a cemetery centuries ago....

The latter is about the printed vertebra. The life expectancy of the patient will depend on the COMPLETE removal of the lesion, the AP findings, the response to the cancer treatment.... etc

I'm amazed that this procedure was conceived of, much less attempted, 30 years ago. What was life like for the patient afterwards? or is it hard to say, since the cancer could come back and kill a patient before he or she has had time to recuperate fully?

I can't imagine hearing that I'd have to have a couple of vertebrae removed to try to cure a cancer.

Just looked you up -- this is your area of expertise, right? What other 3D printed replacement body parts are you aware of?

I'll watch the video when I get home... even though the technique is new... when every you're working on structures such as the vertebrae even with the best of intentions... you can actually make it worse.... Now for the optimistic side... its nice that they if not only pushing to improve the quality of life for these patients, but giving them hope....