COVER STORY process they also ensure that post-surgical functionality of the jaw and the aesthetics are not compromised,” he further adds. “Today a typical oncological mandibulectomy surgery may last anywhere from 6-10hour. Using Supercraft3D’s innovative cutting guides for both mandible and fibula osteotomy we have been able to reduce the surgical time to less than 3hour. The need for surgical instruments and guides has also been significantly reduced,” Maltesh says. What’s more the company also makes jaw implants with tooth which is an alternative to dentures that doesn’t fit well. “In case of benign mandibulectomy, Supercraft3D offers 3D printed titanium jaw implant with pre-positioned tooth implants as well. In a sense the patient wakes up postsurgery with teeth in the mouth,” Maltesh explains. In another instance, Dr Chandrachari shares how 3D printed implants are helping patients with cranial deformity lead a normal life. A defect in the cranial (skull) bone is usually seen in patients with trauma, infection or tumor surgery and result in sever deformity both aesthetically and functionally. The available implants in the market are pre-
With the help of 3D imaging now we can precisely cut the bone, conserving the part that is not affected by cancer. We can also reconstruct the jaw using the patient’s own bone Prof K S Gopinath, Promoter & Director, HCG Hospital and Bangalore Institute of Oncology; and Prof of Surgery & Oncology, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar
designed and may not be suitable for the individual needs of the patient. “Earlier we used bone cement to try and fill the gap along with titanium mesh. But the end results were not perfect,” says Dr Chandrachari. “Now with the help of 3D modeling and implants it is easier to mirror patient specific
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3D Printed Patient Specific Implants 1. Acetabular Cup 2. Jaw Implant 3. Cranial Implant
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August 2019