Surgeons leverage 3D printing for personalized facial prosthetic

In 2011, Graeme Heward, a 62-year-old man was diagnosed with a rare case of nasal and sinus cancer, according to the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Due to the delicate location of his tumor, it was reportedly very difficult for medics to monitor. As a result, he has undergone around 50 surgeries, as well as two rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He now has a fully prosthetic right eye and nose, and a partially prosthetic forehead.

“My only symptom was a watery eye. Eventually, I went for a scan at Wythenshawe Hospital, which showed that I had a tumor as big as an egg, putting pressure on my nose and fracturing my eye,” said Graeme.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Department, based at North Manchester General Hospital, not only designs prosthetics but also performs surgeries that involve using magnets to fix the prosthetics properly. The process involves a computed tomography (CT) scan, followed by 3D printing the designed mold for the prosthetic – which helps make the delicate surgery as minimally invasive as possible. Implants are then surgically inserted into the patient’s skull and are left to settle there for four months before the magnets are attached.

“Skulls aren’t thick, so the medics need to do it very accurately. Radiotherapy can soften bone, so there was concern that the magnets wouldn’t take after the surgery. Luckily it was successful, and I now have seven magnets in my skull, meaning my prosthetics are more secure and balanced – I can even wear glasses,” said Graeme. “Iwona from the prosthetics team combines her incredible artistic and creative skills with technology to create the most fantastic resemblance of what I used to look like. The department has absolutely transformed my life and they’re worth their weight in gold”.