Reformative Surgery: KGMU doctors make artificial hand, reconstruct part of face using 3D imaging

Prof Pooran Chand, head of department of prosthodontics at the KGMU, said, "The woman had lost all the fingers of her right hand when it was chopped off half-palm in an accident. The accident had impacted her psychologically by the time she came to us."

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Doctors made use of 3D imaging, copied her left hand and made an artificial right hand. "The entire left hand, including the palm, each finger and nails were copied. The right hand was then made with silicon (orbital prosthesis which was coloured using digital spectrophotometry), matching the skin colour and thickness of the fingers too," said Prof Chand.

The artificial hand is life-like. "Though non-functional, yet the artificial hand has given her a lot of confidence. We are working on many patients making use of 3D imaging and reforming a lost part of the body. Many patients come to us after major surgery that causes loss of body parts such as jaws," said Prof Chand.

Prosthetics 3D printing is the use of 3D printers to design and create artificial body parts such as arms.

In another case, doctors at KGMU have reconstructed part of the face of a 56-year-old teacher.

The man had undergone major surgery after getting infected with Black Fungus or mucormycosis. He had lost most of his right face, including the right eye, upper jaw and teeth.

Normal eating, swallowing, speaking and taking classes became almost impossible. The appearance was badly affected and facing people and society was a big challenge, said Dr Sudhir Singh, spokesperson, KGMU.

The patient came to the Maxillofacial Prosthetic Unit Prosthodontics department at KGMU, where the treatment was done in two phases.

The first phase consisted of making the obturator prosthesis which restored the patient's eating, speaking and swallowing. The second phase consisted of making the facial prosthesis, which corrected his appearance and gave the patient confidence to face students and society.

Prof Pooran Chand said that the orbital prosthesis, which was coloured using digital spectrophotometry, was made of skin-like silicone, and the obturator prosthesis, which was made of acrylic, was 3D printed.

Prof Saumyendra V. Singh, in-charge, the maxillofacial prosthetic unit, said that the rehabilitation took nine months.

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