KOCHI: A surgery with the aid of 3D printing technology, which was used to create an exact replica of a deformed foot and ankle, has been carried out on a 49-year-old woman, Rajalakshmi of Cherthala, at a hospital here.
The patient has been suffering from foot and ankle deformities since birth. But her parents were reluctant to subject her to surgery. The family, however, decided to go for a surgery as the patient could no longer bear the pain.
Dr. Rajesh Simon, foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon, who led a medical team at VPS Lakeshore Hospital, said the intricate anatomy of the foot compounded by the severe deformity, warranted a 3D printed foot and ankle model for planning the complex surgery. By using the patient’s CT scan and a special software, an exact replica of her foot and ankle was made using the 3D printing technology.
