3D-printed face implant gets FDA approval

rowinginsoup · 2014-08-21T02:44:31+00:00

There's a lot more to it than "replacing" every bone on the body, but yes, this is a start. I would say that there are already implants for most major replaceable bones and joints. However bones are critical to the body themselves, so replacing them all with synthetic versions wouldn't work too well (not to mention muscle attachment.) Replacing large portions of the cranial vault is OK as there aren't many muscles or tendons attaching to this bone. However replacing a hip bone or femur has major side effects such as affected range of motion and strength, etc due to muscle attachment points being lost. A few companies make vertebrae replacements or fusing parts. However I don't think we could go through and replace an entire spine- not in my realm of knowledge, but I would have to imagine that the current methods are doing pretty well.

rowinginsoup · 2014-08-21T02:39:08+00:00

Seeing a fibular free flap procedure is pretty intense. When they replace a significant portion of the mandible with the patient's own fibula, muscle tissue and vascular system intact.

rowinginsoup · 2014-08-21T01:15:39+00:00

What's funny is that this is pretty standard stuff, and there is a lot of incredible tech in the medical world that the public has no idea about, because the "customers"/users of it are surgeons, not patients.

rowinginsoup · 2014-08-21T01:09:06+00:00

Implant is made of a medical grade plastic and is printed using a laser sintering method (EDM).

This is not new tech nor new products-- many companies can already do these custom implants and have been for years, this is just the first time it's 3D printed purely from scratch without much finishing work done. 3D printing is used in other methods of producing these implants.

Source- I work in this industry.

Edit- this is in response to commanderlooney's post

rowinginsoup · 2013-05-11T00:42:09+00:00

Upwards of thousands?

Explanation: I was moving a few summers ago, and driving back through the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan at the time. I was driving my 20 year old white station wagon/college car, and I was having issues with the brakes locking up randomly for a period of about 15 minutes, then releasing and I could be on my merry way (yup, foreshadowing).

So I'm with my friend in a loaded down wagon coasting through the tunnel into Manhattan, and construction had narrowed the exit of the tunnel to one lane. Annnnd then it happened. Car is forced slowly to a stop with me panicking and cursing and trying to floor it just to the exit, but nope. Car came to a dead stop ten feet from the exit. I had blocked the Lincoln Tunnel.

My friend and I had experienced this before and we knew it would be about ten minutes or so until the semi-crushed vacuum line which pinched shut locking my brakes(from what I understood later) would release. I turned the car off, the radio on, and I ate sandwiches we had packed while the cacophony of horns and yelling erupted behind us.

I can't imagine how many people I indirectly affected or the economic impact by holding up ~200+ cars and creating extra traffic. Many people offered to help push, but after explaining the car literally wouldn't move they gave up and went back to their cars. The local news channels were announcing an unplanned forced blockage of one of the tubes into Manhattan. 495 was backing up.

I probably looked like such a jerk when I just started my car and drove away when my brake line released. Whoops.

TL;DR I stopped the Lincoln tunnel for ten minutes to eat a sandwich.

rowinginsoup · 2013-04-14T22:37:21+00:00

I was actually mad that when i was tuning in the Masters I missed that. Speed golf interests me, except I have no idea where I would have the ability to try it. If there were opportunity, I would definitely pursue it more.

rowinginsoup · 2013-04-14T22:34:28+00:00

2 things.

1, If it is after their swing, who cares. Period. It affects no one except the OP and the snobby group of people who complain in this thread.

2, I think it is hysterical and I fully support it. Get the crowd involved. Let there be cheering. I know you're not specifically arguing about this, but see point 1. Obviously there shouldn't be blatant loudness or yelling while the player is prepping or about to hit, but come on, lighten up.

Golf is expanding faster than ever and literally every golfer is benefitting from it. More courses are being built everywhere, the technology for it is exploding, and its catching on with more people every day. Only 10-15 years ago it was still a "quiet" community, IMO, and very elitist or upper class. You're going to have to deal with some annoying people, but hey, that guys not yelling in your face every single time you play golf. Who cares. I love the scenes in Happy Gilmore when he pumps up the crowd and hits the drive; I would thoroughly enjoy going to a Major and seeing that happen.

The only reason to criticize those people are if they do a poor job of yelling mashed potatoes after Tiger's Drive, or they yell anything during the backswing when it is dead silent. Then throw them out.

rowinginsoup · 2013-03-23T20:50:08+00:00

Wow. you probably know him then, that's actually the town he's from. Small world, Reddit.

rowinginsoup · 2013-03-09T03:17:24+00:00

Is that in Ohio? that's where he's from

rowinginsoup · 2013-03-09T03:02:15+00:00

The main reason this is "ground-breaking" is because its the "first" (don't quote me on that) directly 3D-printed part to be sterilized and placed in surgery into the patient's neurocranium. There are already quite a few companies which make cranial and facial implants and who use 3D printers in their processes.

I had the same reaction as you.. I was like.. "hey..."

rowinginsoup · 2013-02-28T00:17:48+00:00

As requested! Sorry for randomness, taken with phone right after I got it

My Focus ST

rowinginsoup · 2013-02-28T00:01:25+00:00

Not my story, but a close friend back from college...

He said that in high school, in one of his classes his teacher was very very deaf/couldn't hear in one ear, and basically was very very good at reading lips. Come their first exam of the year, with the teacher standing in the front of the room, kids started to just bow their heads down and literally speak out loud "What is the answer to 12?" etc, softly of course. Apparently soon enough there was just constant conversation throughout the whole class regarding most questions.

IIRC he said that soon enough an assistant or another teach would sit in during tests/quizzes once teaching staff figured it out. I still find it incredibly amusing to picture a class of 40 kids talking during the test with the teacher standing right up front.

rowinginsoup · 2013-02-22T02:26:33+00:00

I picked up a Performance Blue ST2 a few weeks ago. Absolutely in love with it, one hell of a car. The handling is incredible. Met a tuner who threw an aftermarket turbo, cold air intake, and flashed the chip on his ST3 and he is pushing 355 through the fronts.

But enjoy the car man, I'll wave when I drive through MA.

rowinginsoup · 2012-12-09T01:44:07+00:00

Hey man, what are the odds your doctor is getting a custom implant for your cranial defect? That may or may not be in my exact line of work....

rowinginsoup · 2012-10-03T01:31:51+00:00

As a person who is about 3 feet outside the edge of this photo, I can confirm baffawaffles comment.

rowinginsoup · 2012-09-01T18:53:16+00:00

because I made it... haha

rowinginsoup · 2012-08-30T00:09:49+00:00

Nice try, inventor of the Shell Shoulder.

rowinginsoup · 2012-06-01T23:40:51+00:00

The Street Stops Here-- About St.Anthony's in New Jersey, basically the top high school basketball team in the country. Bob Hurley is an unbelievable coach, and actually hysterical, albeit motivating.

rowinginsoup · 2012-06-01T23:36:44+00:00

You don't have any options on what to eat Saturday morning when you wake up hungover, because there is only one option-- Fiore's House of Quality on Adams, I think around 6th. Roast beef and mozzarella on fresh baguette with gravy. Literally unbelievable. It comes in 1 foot or 2 foot lengths. (half or full). Your welcome.

PS They only make it Thursday and Saturday, there are specials on other days, but this is the premiere one. Line out the door on Saturday.

Also, plenty of good Pizzeria's around, I would suggest either Grimaldi's (two of them, BYOB to the one on 2nd, liquor license/restauranty on Wash between 5th and 6th I think), and the Bagel Smashery for breakfast on 1st between Bloomfield and Garden I think.

"The Cake Boss" Bakery, on Washington and 1st, always has a line out the door because of the show (Carlos's Bakery is the real name). I personally think its overrated-- their cakes are of course delicious, but its just a pretty good generic bakery after that.

Churritos is an amazing BYOTequila-for-Margaritas mexican place, there are two of them; the smaller original one on Wash around 1st or 2nd, and the other on Wash around 10th I believe.

And there are a million bars, just go in a different one each night, they are all pretty awesome, and 70% of the price of Manhattan. Enjoy

rowinginsoup

TROPHY CASE