Surgeons Use 3D Printing for Two-Year-Old’s Life-Saving Kidney Transplant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Stratasys multi-material 3D printing used to support the successful
transplantation of a larger-than-average adult kidney from Brendan
Clark, into his two-year-old son, Dexter

3D models of patientsÔÇÖ anatomies determined the feasibility of the
transplant

Dexter has since made a full recovery and is now able to eat without
a feeding tube for the first time since birth

MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Stratasys
(Nasdaq: SSYS), a global leader in additive technology solutions, today
announced that surgeons at GuyÔÇÖs
and St ThomasÔÇÖ NHS Foundation Trust, London, are using 3D printing
technology to improve the success rates of life-saving, complex organ
transplantation in young children. This is exemplified in the case of
two-year-old Dexter Clark, who recently received a larger-than-average
kidney from his father, Brendan Clark. 3D printing played an important
role in the operation, according to Mr. Pankaj Chandak, Transplant
Registrar at GuyÔÇÖs and St ThomasÔÇÖ NHS Foundation Trust.

GuyÔÇÖs and St ThomasÔÇÖ NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS
trusts in the U.K., treating more than 2.4 million patients in acute and
specialist hospital services and community services every year. Surgeons
across the Trust are using Stratasys
multi-material 3D printing for planning the most intricate of
operations, with the transplant department a pioneer in the use of the
technology. Most notably, it is the first Trust in the world to use 3D
printed models to pre-plan the successful transplantation of an adult
kidney into a small child with anatomical complexities.

In the case of Dexter, it was clear that he would require a kidney
transplant before he was even born, with his father as the likely donor.
Due to the complications of his illness, Dexter was able to eat only
through a feeding tube and unable to enjoy a simple meal time with his
parents and three brothers. In order to perform the required transplant,
this case presented two distinct challenges for the surgical team.
Firstly, Dexter weighed less than 10 kg, significantly increasing the
risk. Secondly, his fatherÔÇÖs kidney was much larger than that of the
average adult male ÔÇô raising questions as to the potential feasibility
and safety of implanting the donor kidney into DexterÔÇÖs abdomen.

Typically, conventional medical imaging is used in the pre-surgical
planning process for surgeries such as this one, however these often
have limitations. As such, the surgeons used a precision, multi-material
Stratasys 3D printer, purchased from U.K. Partner, Tri
Tech 3D, to produce two intricate, patient-specific models for
pre-surgical preparations.

ÔÇ£Using our 3D printer, we worked in collaboration with Nick Byrne and
his team ÔÇô clinical scientists from our medical physics department who
specialize in medical imaging. They converted patient CT scans into
anatomically accurate, multi-material 3D models. These helped us
appreciate aspects such as depth perception and space within the babyÔÇÖs
abdomen, which can often be difficult to ascertain when looking at
conventional imaging,ÔÇØ explains Mr. Chandak. ÔÇ£The ability to print a 3D
model of the patientÔÇÖs anatomy in varying textures, with the intricacies
of the blood vessels clearly visible within it, enables us to
differentiate critical anatomical relations between structures. The
flexible materials also allowed us to better mimic the flexibility of
organs within the abdomen for simulation of the surgical environment.ÔÇØ

Ordinarily, to reach a decision whether such complex transplants in
children are viable, patients such as Dexter would normally have been
placed under anaesthesia and the surgeon in some cases required to
conduct an invasive surgical exploration to determine feasibility. With
3D printed models of the patient, the need for surgical exploration can
be reduced, as the team can safely determine the optimal surgical
approach in the pre-planning stages before the patient is on the
operating table.

In DexterÔÇÖs case, the 3D printed models were also taken into the
operating theatre on the day of the transplant and reviewed by Mr. Nicos
Kessaris (Consultant Transplant Surgeon at GuyÔÇÖs and St ThomasÔÇÖ NHS
Foundation Trust). Mr. Kessaris was able to use the models during the
operation to assess the best way in which the donor kidney would lie and
fit into DexterÔÇÖs abdomen.

ÔÇ£This technology has the potential to really enhance and aid our
decision-making process both during pre-surgical planning and in the
operating room, and therefore can help in the safety of what is a very
complex operation and improve our patient care,ÔÇØ says Mr. Chandak.

Emily Clark, DexterÔÇÖs mother, comments, ÔÇ£Since the transplant, Dexter is
a changed boy, eating solid food for the very first time. We always knew
the operation would be complicated but knowing that the surgeons had
planned the surgery with 3D models that matched the exact anatomy of my
husbandÔÇÖs kidney and sonÔÇÖs abdomen, was extremely reassuring. We hope
that DexterÔÇÖs case will offer other suffering families similar
reassurance that cutting-edge technology, such as 3D printing, can help
surgeons better treat their loved ones.ÔÇØ

Michael Gaisford, StratasysÔÇÖ Director of Marketing for Stratasys
Healthcare Solutions, concludes: ÔÇ£GuyÔÇÖs and St ThomasÔÇÖ NHS Foundation
Trust is pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with
multi-material 3D printing within healthcare. It is a clear
demonstration of the ability for 3D printing to enable physicians to
better plan, practice and determine the optimal surgical approach. We
are delighted to see Dexter has fully recovered and hope many other
children can benefit from such forward-thinking applications of our
technology.ÔÇØ

Stratasys is a global leader in additive technology solutions for
industries including Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Consumer
Products and Education. For nearly 30 years, a deep and ongoing focus on
customersÔÇÖ business requirements has fueled purposeful innovations ÔÇö
1,200 granted and pending additive technology patents to date ÔÇö that
create new value across product lifecycle processes, from design
prototypes to manufacturing tools and final production parts. The
Stratasys 3D printing ecosystem of solutions and expertise ÔÇö advanced
materials; software with voxel level control; precise, repeatable and
reliable FDM and PolyJet 3D printers; application-based expert services;
on-demand parts and industry-defining partnerships ÔÇö works to ensure
seamless integration into each customerÔÇÖs evolving workflow. Fulfilling
the real-world potential of additive, Stratasys delivers breakthrough
industry-specific applications that accelerate business processes,
optimize value chains and drive business performance improvements for
thousands of future-ready leaders. Corporate headquarters: Minneapolis,
Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel. Online at: www.stratasys.com,
http://blog.stratasys.com and
LinkedIn.

Stratasys is a registered trademark and the Stratasys signet is a
trademark of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries or affiliates. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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