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A 3D printed vertebra was used to fix a boy's spine

The surgery took place in China and is the first of its kind.

SCIENTISTS IN CHINA have successfully carried out an operation to implant a 3-D printed vertebra into a young boy with bone cancer.

This is the first time that such a procedure has been performed. Vertebra are individual pieces of bone that make up the spinal column. The replacement vertebra being used was produced by a 3-D printer.

The procedure took five hours and was performed on 12-year-old Minghao. The boy discovered he had the cancer while playing football. After injuring himself trying to head the ball he was found to have the growth.

china artificial vertebra The replacement vertebra came from a 3-D printout. cctv.com cctv.com

In the operation it was the second vertebra in the boy’s neck that was replaced. The operation to insert the 3D printout lasted around five hours.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Liu Zhongjun. Speaking to Central China Television about the operation, Liu, said:

With 3D printing technology, we can simulate the shape of the vertebra, which is much stronger and more convenient than traditional methods.

Doctors are confident that Minghao will make a full recovery.

china 2 The surgery took place on the second vertebra cctv.com cctv.com

The surgery was incredibly delicate as it involved the spinal chord, the internal and external carotid arteries and the trachea.

The surgery was performed at No. 3 Hospital, Peking University.

This is more good news for those suffering from spinal cord conditions this year. In April research conducted in Kentucky looked at electrical stimulation being used to allow voluntary activity.

Read: More patients should go home on the same day as having surgery (and Leo agrees)

Also: Dublin scientist awarded €250k grant for breast cancer research

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32 Comments
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    Mute Spud
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    Aug 25th 2014, 5:32 PM

    This is fantastic. Science is just brilliant altogether. I hope that the boy has a decent quality of life afterwards.

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    Mute Dennis Laffey
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:16 PM

    Go science! :D

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    Mute Spud
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:23 PM

    Hurray for Science! \o/

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:54 PM

    Let’s all thank god for science! Yay!!

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    Mute Spud
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:40 PM

    I see what you did there Ted. ;-)

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    Mute James Ó Cianáin
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    Aug 25th 2014, 10:24 PM

    Oh my science, science dam you Ted!

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    Mute Micheal
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:15 PM

    If they can “print” vertebrae then think flexible heart valves and as technology goes into nano size technology eventually organs.

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    Mute SeanieRyan
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:53 PM

    They have printed a 3d working liver and even a human ear, the gel they print with is impregnated with stem cells.

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    Mute Deep Beneath You
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    Aug 26th 2014, 8:26 AM

    The Big one is the neuron. That’s when we will become our own gods. To grow the functional neuron will allow us turn disease upside down.

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    Mute Adrian Moore
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:37 PM

    Will it need replacing as he grows?

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    Mute Dylan
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    Aug 25th 2014, 5:23 PM

    Amazing that this can be done but I just wonder how stable it is…

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:14 PM

    More stable than the previously used titanium tube type. This one is also titanium and closer mimics a real vertebra than the tube type.

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    Mute Ablitive
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    Aug 25th 2014, 5:53 PM

    There are 33 vertebrae in the human spine.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:14 PM

    A child’s got more bones than a grown-up’s got

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    Mute graham galvin
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:20 PM

    Them bones them bones need calcium……..

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:39 PM

    and that’s a natural law.

    I always found that fella in the ad very weird….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygf0gRQsUb4

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    Mute graham galvin
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:51 PM

    Haha yeah brings back great childhood memories. That wooden guy scared the crap out of me as a kid lol.

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    Mute Ger Mulligan
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    Aug 25th 2014, 8:50 PM

    A child’s got more bones than a grown ups got ???

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    Mute Christina Conroy
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    Aug 25th 2014, 10:01 PM

    Maybe we could print the government a set of brains!

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    Mute onlybuzzinwitcha
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    Aug 26th 2014, 12:22 AM

    That means they’ll find a way to screw the country over even more and get away with it… oh wait

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    Mute Lee Richardson
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    Aug 25th 2014, 5:23 PM

    Seriously lads, get on top of your game; this was news last week

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    Mute Ronan McCann
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    Aug 25th 2014, 5:29 PM

    First time I have seen it. Thanks Journal…

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    Mute Lee Richardson
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    Aug 25th 2014, 6:24 PM

    Richard Dawkins foundation for science and reason reported last week

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:16 PM

    It might be a little late but come off it, this is hardly something that’s going to be the subject of breaking news,,,,

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    Mute Mannix Logan
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:40 PM

    Thats great Lee but we all dont have the Richard Dawkins foundations for science app!

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    Mute Lee Richardson
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    Aug 25th 2014, 8:31 PM

    Facebook group

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Aug 25th 2014, 9:43 PM

    He’s mocking you Lee – your reply prompts *eyerolling*

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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Aug 25th 2014, 11:53 PM

    I started the first 3D printing course in Ireland.

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    Mute SeanieRyan
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    Aug 25th 2014, 7:56 PM

    The Richard Dawkins foundation for rubbing out Down Syndrome kids?

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    Mute Lee Richardson
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    Aug 25th 2014, 8:31 PM

    That’s not correct, read his full response

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    Mute Melissa O Shea
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    Aug 25th 2014, 10:09 PM

    Amazing

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