A 14-year-old boy who lost his nose in an accident is thought to be the first person in the United States to have received a fully functional 3D-printed nose, effectively a nose implant, restoring his sense of small and taste.
The teenager, Dallan Jennet, fell onto a live power line when he was nine, burning his entire face and losing his nose.
Dr Tal Dagan and his team at Mount Sinai in New York created the nose based on sample models taken from Jennet’s family members, customising it to his face and vascular requirements so that all function could be restored.
“This procedure may be a breakthrough in facial reconstruction because the patient will never have to deal with the standard issues of transplantation, such as tissue rejection or a lifetime of immunosuppressive therapies,” said Dr Dagan.
Jennet’s first procedure, in early 2015, took place in the Marshall Islands, where doctors input expanders under the remaining skin of his nose to make room for the reconstructed body part.
The 3D procedure is hoped to be a viable option for others with severe facial deformities who may require reconstructive surgery.
Read more about the procedure on the Mt Sinai blog.
