Singapore Researchers 3D Print Beak for Great Hornbill at Jurong Bird Park https://ift.tt/30muuQX While the medical field serves humans with a wide variety of new technologies and techniques, much of this is not lost on the veterinary aspect either; after all, animals also need nursing back to good health in many different scenarios. As a Great Hornbill at Jurong Bird Park was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the casque (or the bill), researchers and veterinarians in Singapore began working together to create an artificial replacement. Outlining their findings in the recently published ‘The use of a 3D printed prosthesis in a Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) with squamous cell carcinoma of the casque,’ the authors explained how they offered a better quality of life to a 22-year-old male great hornbill as a portion of the bone of his beak was cancerous—a common affliction for such birds, with medical treatment usually proving to be ‘unrewarding.’ Upon deciding to excise the tissue (as there were no signs of the cancer having metastasized), the researchers went on to design and 3D print a customized surgical guide for the procedure and then a prosthesis—allowing the bird to go forth as comfortably and naturally as possible. Strategizing on how to treat the bird successfully, the researchers considered medications based on the squamous cell carcinoma noted in the biopsy, and then went on to consider how to deal with the size of the excision—realizing it would leave a large portion of the casque exposed. The team decided to fit the 3D printed prosthesis after excision, taking great care to create a design identical to the beak in order to avoid any effect on acoustic functionality of the casque area. Both the surgical guide and the prosthesis were created on an EOS P396 3D printer, with around 12 hours printing time required.
As the procedure progressed, the guide was placed on the bird’s maxillary beak and casque and used to assist in removing the cancerous tissue. The 3D printed prosthetic was fixed in place with screws, and dental acrylic used as a sealant to eliminate any gaps. Surgery went smoothly, and the researchers were able to remove all cancerous tissue.
As 3D printing sweeps through the medical realm offering widespread innovation and overwhelmingly positive impacts, digitally fabricated prosthetics are changing the lives of so many, and of all ages, but for many different species too—from dogs receiving 3D printed prosthetic legs to baby chicks, ducks, and even sheep. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.
[Source / Images: ‘ The use of a 3D printed prosthesis in a Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) with squamous cell carcinoma of the casque’] Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Printing via 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing https://3dprint.com August 21, 2019 at 05:57AM
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