3D Printed Hip Implant Allows Teen to Finally Walk

It’s awesome to discover all the new ways ailing patients are being treated with the use of advanced 3D printing technology. Take for example this 16 year old Swedish teen named Fanny Fellesen. Fanny suffers from a rare disease called Von Recklinghausen’s Disease. It is a genetic disorder which affects 1 in 3500 people worldwide. The main symptom of the disease is tumor growth on nerves. It is also known for causing bone deformities, which is exactly how it has affected Fanny. Her hip bone was deformed so severely that she was certain to be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

This all changed with the help of 3D printing. Doctors were able to use a tomography scan to create a 3D model of her hip. From there they used specially designed software to create a model of an implant which would bring normality back to her deformed hip bone. 3D printed implants like this one are able to offer a custom made solution that matches the exact specifications the patient needs, unlike conventional implants, which are more like “one size fits all”.

The surgery was not an easy one, but was the only hope the teen had, unless she wanted to remain confined to her wheelchair for the remainder of her life. The outcome has been amazing. Fanny is walking, and her prognossive is positive, according her her doctors.

“I’m positive about a future in which I can get rid off the crutches and walk without aid,” said the teenager.

3D printing is changing medicine for the better. Doctors feel that this type of technology will revolutionize the treatment of many debilitating diseases, like Recklinghausen .  From hip implants, to facial implants, to prosthetics, the technology is simply put, amazing!

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