3D printed skull replacement implanted for the first time ever

The 22-year-old patient suffered from a rare disorder that caused the bone in her skull to thicken abnormally, from the normal 1.5cm to 5cm thick.

The condition gave the woman poor eyesight, severe headaches and the inability to perform facial expressions, with doctors saying the pressure on her brain would have certainly killed her in time.

The operation took 23 hours to perform and was led by Dr Bon Verweij from the University Medical Centre Utrecht.  3D-printers have previously been used to replace skull fragments, but this is the first time such an extensive area of the cranium - nearly a full hemisphere – has been transplanted.

The 3D-printed skull in place“Implants used to be made by hand in the operating theatre using a sort of cement which was far from ideal," Dr Verweij told Dutch News.

"Using 3D printing we can make one to the exact size. This not only has great cosmetic advantages, but patients' brain function often recovers better than using the old method."

The hospital has waited three months to announce the success of the operation, after checking to see that the patient made a full recovery.