醫生藉助3D打印技術爲84歲老人修復膝關節

In the first surgery of its kind worldwide, an 84-year-old Chinese man has received knee surgery using 3D printing technology to fill large bone defects with tantalum, a rare metal, at a hospital in Chongqing Municipality, reported .

據重慶新聞網報道，在重慶市的一家醫院，一名84歲的中國男子接受了利用3D打印技術的膝關節手術，該技術是將罕見的金屬鉭來墊塊修復巨大骨缺損。這是全球首例該類型的手術。

As the incidence of arthritis among people aged from 50 to 59 has reached 62 percent, the first hospital affiliated to AMU (southwest hospital) now performs about 400 knee replacement surgeries annually, according to reports.

據報道，在50歲至59歲的人羣中，關節炎發病率已經達到了62%，僅僅在西南第一醫院關節外科，每年就要進行約400例的膝關節置換手術。

"Total knee replacement is the most effective way to treat late-stage knee diseases, as it can reduce the pain for patients and improve their quality of life," said Yang Liu, a professor at the hospital.

該院的楊柳教授表示：“全膝關節置換術是治療終末期膝關節疾病的最有效的方法，可減輕疼痛，提高患者生活質量。”

However, bone defects may occur around the joint due to post-operative infections or other reasons.

但是，由於術後感染以及其他原因，往往會造成關節周圍骨缺損。

The shape of the bone defects varies greatly, and existing modular metal cannot correct the defects.

骨缺損的形態千差萬別，現有的模塊化金屬墊塊無法充分填充。

Tantalum is used in dental and surgical implants; however, titanium alloy is more commonly used as the high melting point of tantalum exceeds the limit of most 3D printers available.

鉭被用於牙科以及外科植入；然而，由於鉭金屬熔點非常高，超過了目前大多3D打印機的極限，所以目前置入物均以鈦合金爲主。

Porous tantalum has been developed to solve the technical problem. Tantalum pads are individually designed for patients by computer-aided design and precise 3D-printing technology.

多孔鉭的開發解決了這個技術問題。鉭墊塊是通過計算機輔助設計和精確3d打印技術，爲病人量身定製的。

The surgery is greatly simplified, avoiding many possible risks.

該手術的流程大大簡化，避免了許多可能出現的風險。