Kazakh doctors performed unique skull defects repair surgery using 3D-printed technology

The Kazakh doctors for the first time ever performed a unique surgery to repair skull defects of a 14-year-old teen in Zhambyl region, Kazinform News Agency reports.

According to the regional healthcare department, the critically ill teen was rushed to the children’s multi-field hospital in Taraz.

Half a year ago the teen was treated with decompressive craniectomy on the temporal region of the brain to decrease intracranial pressure following previous acute purulent diseases and recurrent purulent meningitis that affected his brain structure. He also suffered from toxic shock syndrome.

Decompressive craniectomy involves removing part of the skull bone. By the consensus of children’s neurosurgeons and resuscitators, it was decided to make a personalized implant to repair the teen’s skull defects and to prevent repeated traumas of the brain. The 3D-printed plastic skull-repair implant was made in Germany.

The surgery was performed as part of the compulsory social health insurance.

The surgery went well. The patient is in stable condition. He was discharged from the hospital with improvement and no visible cosmetic effect.