British cyclist receives 3D printed face prosthesis from new 3D medical center

A 75-year-old cyclist who suffered serious injuries after being hit by a drunk driver has just received a custom 3D printed facial prosthesis—the first of its kind made by the NHS at the Bristol 3D Medical Centre. The man, Dave Richards from Devon, recently told the BBC that the printed prosthesis and other efforts from the medical center have helped him to “feel a lot more comfortable in myself”.

Richards was hit by a drunk driver in 2021, when he and some friends were cycling in Somerset. Richards suffered the most serious injuries, including severe burns down his body and on one side of his face, as well as loss of his left eye. It goes without saying, that the crash changed his life dramatically, but now thanks to the work of dedicated medical professionals, his quality of life is improving.

Part of that improving is down to the work of the Bristol 3D Medical Centre, a new facility that opened this past April and serves South West England. The medical site specializes in 3D imaging technologies and 3D printing, including a 3D printer capable of processing PEEK.

In Richards’ case, medical specialists used a surface 3D scanner to map his face digitally, which has helped the patient to understand how his scars are healing. The technology was also used to create a 3D printed orbital prosthesis that fits onto his face and matches his hair, skin and eye color. While Richards is the first to receive a 3D printed medical device from the center, there are many other applications to come.

Amy Davey, Senior Reconstructive Scientist at North Bristol NHS Trust, said of the technology: “Surface scanning patients for prosthetics means that patients can be scanned while moving, and this technology can use that movement to aid the prostheses to accommodate movement. The old method of producing a helmet for babies with plagiocephaly and brachycephaly required a general anaesthetic to eliminate movement whilst the mould of the baby’s skull was produced. With 3D surface scanning, the baby can move around freely and happily and a 3D printed helmet subsequently produced from that scan.”

The Bristol 3D Medical Centre—reportedly the first facility in the UK to house these sophisticated 3D technologies under one roof—will also use its in-house 3D printing technology to create surgical planning models. For example, the technology can recreate a damaged kidney that indicates where the surgeon has to remove areas as well as where nerves and blood vessels are.