Plastic surgeon John Meara, MD, and neurosurgeon Mark Proctor, MD, in theCraniofacial Anomalies Program at Boston Children’s Hospital are early adopters of 3D printing technology. They put it to good use in caring for Violet, a buoyant toddler who was diagnosed before birth with a rare, complicated skull and facial defect. Using CT images, and with the help of the hospital’s Simulator Program, they were able to build a series of plastic 3D models of Violet’s skull and rehearse her surgery – months before Violet arrived from Oregon.
“I actually feel like I know her, because I’ve seen that model change and grow over the last several months,” said Meara just before the surgery. “We can see and feel the trajectory of where we will have to make certain cuts, and that’s never been possible before.”
Follow Violet’s journey in this four-part series.
You can learn more about plastic surgery by visiting Dr. Andres Bustillo‘s website.
