Just this week, a complex medical case was solved using 3D printing technology. Surgeons at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital have successfully used 3D printing technology to treat a fracture of the orbital bone. The patient was a 35 year old man who fell victim to a car crash that left the orbital bone that surrounds his left eye fractured. The accident further caused the sinking of his eye into his skull, which left him suffering from diplopia or double vision. This condition not only seriously hampers the ability of the patient to see, but may also lead to infections and other side effects if left untreated.

The surgeons initially 3D scanned the eye sockets of the patient on the basis of stereoscopic images. These were later used in the development of a 3D printed mock-up of the orbital bone, which enabled them to determine the severity and scope of the fractured bone plate. First completed was a Maxillofacial Surgery on the virtual, and then the plastic mock-up of this fracture. This enabled the surgeons to develop a titanium bone plate that was customized and therefore suitable for restoring the bone structure of the patient, while returning their eyeball to its correct position.

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