A unique titanium implant, produced with 3D printer technology, was used by Košice doctors and scientists to reconstruct a portion of the skull of a second patient. 33 year old Juraj Stopka suffered a debilitating head injury nine years ago and underwent the surgery three months ago.
The man, who was completely reliant on the care of others, has made a full recovery and surprised doctors with a challenge to play a game of chess, which they describe as a development beyond their wildest expectations. In 2013, the team of doctors and scientists enrolled Juraj into a programme for the development and production of custom-made implants, run by scientists of the CEIT Biomedical Engineering Institute and Kosice Technical University's Biomedical Engineering Department. The custom-made implants for facial and cranial bones cost between €10,000-32,000, with the costs being covered by health insurance. The production of implants in Košice forms part of an EU-funded project.
