Chinese Toddler Given 3D Printed Titanium Implant After Head Swells 3 Times Normal Size

Doctors were able to make the life of a toddler from China better as they devised and reshaped her skull with the help of technology, ABC News reports.

The young girl, who is named Han Han, was born with hydrocephalus, a congenital condition that fills the brain with fluids. To save her, doctors used 3D printed titanium implant to correct the birth defect. The operation was successfully done at the Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province in China.

Dr. Gregory Lakin, who was not part of the team but is an expert on the case said that her condition is causing a strain on her brain. "It's not draining properly and...leads to problems with the head, to swell," said Dr.Lakin. He also added that if left untreated, "the brain will get thinner and stretched out."

Han Han's condition was far more advanced because the amount of fluid in her brain was already determined at 85 percent, three or four times than what was expected, according to Daily Mail. The report also reveals that before the toddler went to surgery, she was already suffering from various medical problems because her skull was thinning, and her brain was not receiving enough blood supply.

Because she was at the risk of rupturing her skull, doctors advised her parents that the need for surgery was immediate. The cost was pegged at approximately $64,000 to $80,000, but thanks to generous donations from family and friends, Han Han's parents received substantial help. 

"If she was not sent to hospital for treatment, Han Han would not have survived the summer. We had to first eliminate the infection in Han Han's head because the brain wound area was too large, and we needed to do skin-graft surgery and insert a shunt to help eliminate the infection, and remove the fluid from her brain," said Dr. Bo from the Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province in China, according to 3D Print.

Han Han's brain was first scanned for the 3D data and medical experts created three titanium skull implants, which were then implanted to replace her skull.

In the ABC News report, Lakin said that the doctors chose to use the 3D implant for cases where the bone structure is not strong enough to withstand such a long operation. Han Han was in surgery for 17 hours. During the process, her scalp and skull were removed while her brain was repositioned and excess fluids were drained.

Thankfully, after the long surgery, the little girl was able to open her eyes and started breathing on her own. 

Doctors expect that she will make a full recovery, and as she grows up, her implants will be covered with her bone and muscles, which will help strengthen her skull.