3-D printed rib reduces risk for cancer patient

Doctors in Spain fitted a cancer patient with a first-of-its-kind 3-D printed rib implant after a tumor in his chest wall was removed, causing them to remove part of the 54-year-old man’s sternum and rib cage, according to FoxNews.com.

"To make the implant, the company created a 3-D model of the patient’s chest wall and tumor, using high-resolution CT scans," the news site reported. "The surgical team used the same model to determine where to cut the patient’s rib cage."

The 3-D printed medical device, lessened some of the risks associated with typical treatment for this situation.