A Chinese toddler with a rare birth defect received a crucial medical procedure when doctors used a 3D printed titanium implant to reshape the baby's oversized skull that was three times the normal size.The surgery was used to treat a condition that causes fluid buildup surrounding the brain.
The baby girl, named Hanhan, was treated for the condition congenital hydrocephalus. She underwent the procedure in People's Hospital, located in China's Hunan Province, according to Empire State Tribune.
Dr. Gregory Lakin is Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Children's Hospital (Cleveland). He explained that the rare condition happens when cerebrospinal fluid is unable to drain correctly from the skull.
Fluid buildup causes the head to swell, according to ABC News. The cranium's bone is pushed out, which puts extra strain on the brain.
Lakin explained that in the United States doctors usually remove a piece of skull, drain the fluid, and then replace the bone fragment. Such operations make infections less likely.
Using a 3D printed implant reduces the operation's length. It is also an effective method when the patient has a weak skull.
Because Hanhan was three years old, her brain was nearly done growing, and the 3D implant would probably not affect its growth. So it was a practical option.
The surgery was absolutely necessary. That is because without it, children suffering from hydrocephaly can experience permanent brain damage due to the huge pressure put on their brains.
Lakin explained that the brain will thin and stretch. This can affect childhood development issues such as vision, speech, and intellect. In a worst-case situation, the children become bedridden.