First U.S. Surgery With 3D-Printed Implant

A surgical team at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center used a custom 3D-printed composite sternum and ribcage implant in a surgical operation in the United States.

It was the first operation of its kind in the United States and only the second in the world, according to Anatomics, the Australian manufacturer.

The team obtained permission to use the implant in August through the FDA’s expanded access program, which allows the use of investigational devices for special patient needs.