Doctor creates new pelvis with 3D printer for cancer victim

Due to the breakthrough treatment a man, who is in his 60s, is walking again.

13:04 10 February 2014

A man in his 60s had lost half of his pelvis to bone cancer but thanks to Craig Gerrand, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who had created a new one on a 3D printer, the cancer victim is now walking again. This is the first transplant of its kind. 

 

Mr Gerrand, who works at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, said: ‘The cancer affected virtually the whole right side of the pelvis. 

 

'Since this cancer does not respond to drugs or radiotherapy, the only option was to remove half of the pelvis.’

 

‘It’s quite easy with a complex organ such as the pelvis to get lost or take too much or too little bone.

 

‘Using surgical navigation technology means you can cut the bone exactly where you planned to cut.’

 

Three years after the operation, the patient is able to walk with the aid of a stick. 

 

Gerrand added: ‘It’s fantastic that you can do cool surgery but the real innovation will be when we don’t have to do this at all, because we have developed new treatments that can stop the cancer in its tracks.’