Singaporean Student Gets 3D Printed Finger Following Bike Accident

Russel Ko, an engineering student at the Republic Polytechnic College in Woodlands, Singapore, sustained a severe injury after crashing his friend’s motorcycle in October last year.  Upon impact, Mr Ko’s left hand got trapped in the wheel, severing both his pinky and ring fingers. Doctors at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), where Mr Ko was treated following the accident, attempted to reattach the fingers retrieved by his friend but could only save the one ring finger. Thankfully, Mr Ko qualified for a pilot study provided by the hospital on functional finger prosthetics made using 3D printing. The project was part of a media display of the hospital’s Medical 3D Printing Center’s capabilities.

In the US alone, roughly 45,000 finger amputations occur yearly from traffic and industrial-related accidents. Dr. Bernice Heng, who works with TTSH’s hand and reconstructive microsurgery department, says their hospital alone receives at least 20-30 patients a year with finger amputations. In the traditional treatment method, patients are typically given the option of a cosmetic finger prosthesis, which imitates a real finger but is not functional. However, the Medical 3D printing Center’s 3D printed version has movable joints, allowing the patient to perform with near normal function. In addition to customization and flexibility, 3D printed prosthetics are a cost-effective option.

A cheaper 3D printed finger prosthesis alternative (Photo credits: Kevin Lim)

In this case, a cosmetic prosthesis costs several thousand more than its 3D printed counterpart, which can be made for only a few hundred dollars. Dr. Heng describes the 3D printed finger prosthesis as “lightweight and functional“, with patients taking to them better than larger, myoelectric prostheses, which use muscle activity to power movement and are generally not well-liked by patients. Mr. Ko looks forward to his custom-tailored prosthetic, which the center is currently developing. “I am definitely looking forward to receiving my pinky. There are some difficulties in daily activities like opening a bottle… or carrying heavy stuff. As an engineering student, I also have to use some tools to do work. Without the pinky, my hand is less stable,” he said.

3D Printed Cranial Cap

The hospital isn’t stopping there when it comes to prosthetic projects using additive manufacturing. Patients who have undergone craniectomy, a life-saving operation to remove a part of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain following a significant stroke or brain injury, are the beneficiaries of another 3D printing initiative. While patients wait (for up to a year) before having a second procedure to repair the skull, they would usually wear a helmet to protect their head. These helmets are often stuffy, heavy, and uncomfortable, especially in warmer climates such as Singapore.

Dr Bernice Heng with a 3D-printed finger prosthesis and Dr Michael Yam, holding a cranial cap. (Photo credit: Kevin Lim)

This is where 3D printed cranial caps prove to be a helpful substitute. A team of professors is designing customized skull caps to fit patients’ heads using CT scans and imaging. The team is currently collaborating with the Medical 3D Printing Center to expand the program. The skull cap’s design has been improved so that stroke victims who frequently feel weakness on one side of their bodies can put it on with just one hand. The improvements seem to be working, as this new solution has received positive feedback from most patients who try it. The hospital submitted an intellectual property application for the cap to eventually extend its reach to other institutions. It may be sooner than we think before the appliance replaces the traditional, bulkier helmets. In any case, check out the original source HERE.

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*Cover photo credit: Kevin Lim