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On the occasion of the European Football Championship in France, we are taking a short trip to see the status of 3D printing technology in Germany’s opponents in the preliminary round, Northern Ireland
There are only a few days left before the European Football Championship begins in our French neighbours’ home. For us as a 3D printing service, this is reason enough to take a look at 3D printing developments in the countries of the German preliminary round opponents. Specifically, we want to take you to Northern Ireland, the country of our third group opponent.
One piece of news about 3D printing in Northern Ireland is particularly striking, as it relates to the latest developments in the field of bioprinting, i.e. the production of cartilage, tissue, etc. on 3D printers. Transplantable organs themselves cannot yet be produced using 3D printing, but a report in the Belfast Telegraph on January 25, 2016 at least points in this direction.
Bioprint in Northern Ireland matches adult donor kidney to infant
3-year-old Lucy Boucher, from Antrim, Northern Ireland, has had an adult kidney transplant from her father, Chris Boucher, according to the report. However, what reads as a matter of course as organ transplants have become in the meantime is still anything but a matter of course. Because of the completely different proportions of the body and therefore also the organs, it has not been possible until now to transplant donor organs from adults to children (especially small children). However, the doctors at the two Belfast clinics, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Guy’s Hospital, found a way – unprecedented worldwide – to reshape Chris Boucher’s kidney using a 3D printer in such a way that it could be implanted in little Lucy in the exact shape that fit her body , and at minimal risk.
Lucy Boucher thus became the first patient in the world to have an adult kidney implanted as a child using 3D printing technology.
The real, delicate part of the transplant happened on November 24, 2015, when Chris Boucher’s donor kidney was accurately molded to the shape of Lucy’s abdomen by the 3D printers at the two Belfast clinics.
The dramatic intervention on Lucy’s small body had become necessary because her organs were not being supplied with enough oxygen due to a congenital heart defect, which caused her kidneys to be particularly damaged. Thanks to her father’s donor kidney, which was adapted using 3D printing technology, Lucy Boucher now has the chance of a significantly better quality of life.
We at 3D Activation, your 3D printing service from Wiesbaden and Thun/Switzerland, keep our fingers crossed for both the German and the Swiss team and wish you an exciting EM.
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