Bioprinted Nose Graft Used For Reconstructive Surgery

3D printing has been applied to reconstructive surgery to create a nose graft for a patient who underwent intense cancer treatment. This amazing feat happened occured at IUCT Oncopole (University Cancer Institute of Toulouse), a cancer care, research, and training center with 1800 workers located in Toulouse, France. The treatment was carried out by the ENT and Cervico-Facial surgery teams of the Toulouse University Hospital and the Claudius Regaud Institute, according to a press release. Scientists and medics used a 3D printing solution from CERHUM to create the nose for a patient.

The patient received treatment in 2013 for nasal cavity cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, resulting in the loss of much of the nose and facial palate. She spent almost four years without a nose, struggling with wearing a prosthesis. For this revolutionary treatment, she had a 3D printed nose implanted onto her forearm, where it was grown before being removed and revascularized (blood flow restored) and implanted onto her face.

CERHUM were recently at the Belgian Maxillofacial Surgery Congress to promote the MyBone solution (photo credit: CERHUM on LinkedIN)

In July 2022, the bone graft was first implanted into the patient’s forearm in order for vascularization to begin. Two months later, the ‘colonization’ (the integration within the skin) of the medical device was complete. The final stage was the transplantation of the device to the nasal area and successful revascularization using microsurgery. Anastomozation (the creation of a surgical connection between blood vessels) was performed on the vessels of the skin of the arm and those of the patient’s temple.