Building the facial bones of a patient with 3D printing in Dubai

A medical team in Dubai has achieved a global medical breakthrough by reconstructing the facial bones of a young Emirati patient with cancer using 3D printing technology, through surgeries that are the first of their kind in the world.

The management of Emirates Jumeirah Hospital in Dubai stated that it received a 20-year-old Emirati man with rare and multiple facial tumors called “keratocystic tumors,” which had caused complete destruction of the facial bones, leading to severe disfigurement, and impairing his ability to speak, breathe, and eat normally.

The medical team at the hospital, led by Dr. Jehad Al-Sukhun, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, diagnosed the condition through a series of medical tests, including CT scans, MRI, and biopsies. This was followed by a series of surgeries to remove the tumor and reconstruct the facial bones.

Dr. Jehad Al-Sukhun said: “In line with Dubai’s strategy to benefit from 3D printing technology in various aspects of life, we used 3D printing for the first time to design and print facial implants made of titanium to reconstruct the facial bones, and repair the bones through several surgical operations. The patient recovered well, achieving good aesthetic results.”

He added: “The success of this type of surgery using 3D printing technology opens the door for the use of ‘biological metal face’ techniques to save cases of bone deformities caused by tumors.”

He continued: “This is the first case in the world where these techniques were applied to save facial deformities and rebuild bone defects using titanium implants of this size, compared to other techniques.”