Baby born with deformed head celebrates first Christmas thanks to surgery and a 3D-printed skull
Doctors printed 3-D models of the child's head to prepare for the groundbreaking treatment
A CHILD born with a deformed head has undergone pioneering surgery carried out by doctors who relied on 3D printed models of his skull.
Seven-month-old Vincent Bono, from New York, is now celebrating his first Christmas at home after the groundbreaking medical treatment.
He was born with a type of craniosynostosis, a rare birth defect which causes a ridge on the forehead.
Many children with the condition must have surgery so the brain can grow and develop normally.
Dr Michael Egnor, professor of neurosurgery at Stony Brook Medicine, told that the "deformity really limits their ability" if it's not addressed when they're young.
The doctor and his team reconstructed Vincent’s skull with the help of 3D printing technology.
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With the help of CAT scans, they created 3D-printed models of Vincent’s head, allowing doctors to explore the 'before and after' from all angles.
Dr Egnor said: “The 3D modelling technique makes the operation considerably safer."
Medics also used the models to practise taking the skull apart, removing the deformity, and putting it back together again, allowing for more precision.
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