NEW DELHI: The dental department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has introduced 3D printing technology for jaw joint replacement — a first in any government hospital claimed the authorities.
The Centre for Dental Education & Research (CDER) of AIIMS had earlier in 2014 introduced Total Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) replacement, which was also in a first. Jaw joint is one of most complex and maximally used joint in human body which can be fused due to trauma, infection or systemic disease or even due to tumour or cancer.
“This time we have introduced one more advanced step in fixing displaced jaw joints. This is a cutting edge technology as per international standards. We had many cases where owing to dysfunctional jawline patients were even facing obstructive sleep apnea – a serious sleep disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep,” said Dr (Prof.) Ajoy Roychoudhury (HOD, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, AIIMS.
Under this latest technique called ‘virtual surgical planning’ which involves use of medical imaging software and technology to print cutting jigs, a 3D image is first developed.
“The planning is done through software. During the surgery the developed 3D image is implanted. We have very recently introduced this technique and so far 60 patients have been operated,” Roy Choudhury added.
“The patients are provided this surgery under the central government scheme Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN). Since we were aware that Ayushmann Bharat doesn’t cover this procedure so the patients were suggested by CDER to opt for RAN,” Roy Choudhury noted.
Cost-effective solution
While the cost of such surgery abroad is around `8 lakh, AIIMS says it is providing the same for `1.5 lakh. The surgical procedure can only be carried out on adults and not on children.