Dr. Forbes, a former United States Air Force neurosurgeon, decided to research 3D-printing after he operated on an Afghan boy implanted with titanium mesh following a land mine explosion.
The titanium mesh, which isn’t as effective as a patient-specific implant, eroded through the boy’s scalp.
Dr. Forbes removed the mesh and reconstructed the boy’s skull to prevent infection or brain damage.
As a professor of neurosurgery at UC, he’s now developing 3D-printed custom molds for skull implants, using patients’ CT scans to calculate measurements.
The 3D-printed implants offer a more cost-effective alternative, and the UC team promises to make its technology free once completed.
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