Orbital hypertelorism is a disorder where there is an abnormal distance between the eyes. This is caused by the abnormal development of the bones in the forehead during infancy stage. This condition is often a syndrome of many diseases like Edwards disease and Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Recently, an Indian-based company called Osteo3D created a solution for people suffering from this condition. Dr. Sathish Vasishta and Dr. Derick Mendonca from Sakra Hospital in Bangalore used a 3D printed model to plan a surgical procedure to treat this condition.

To correct the condition, it is important for doctors to remove the bone in the midline of the skull. To help doctors plan their next step, they created a 3D printed model of the patient’s skull. It helped the surgical team visualize the possible results in the operation.

The surgical team used the models to help them correct the anomaly of the orbital hypertelorism. The medical model allowed the doctors to practice the procedure before the operation thus they were able to reduce the risk of any possible infection to the patient and lessen the operating time. In fact, this difficult operation only took 7.5 hours for the doctors to complete.

The use of 3D printers is common in first world countries and what makes it exciting is that in an emerging nation such as India, this technology is already made available for doctors to use. With the success of the operation, it is no wonder why doctors and medical researchers are taking advantage of the vast potential of 3D printing.