3D printed models which helped to save four-year-old Lucy Boucher’s life will be on display in the Science Museum in London from 2019.
Most children receive 3D models as toys, but for four-year-old Lucy Boucher, 3D printing helped to save her life. In November 2015, surgeons at Guy’s Hospital were the first to develop and use the technology to minimize risk in Lucy’s kidney transplant.
Lucy’s father, Chris Boucher, donated his kidney to her. However, implanting an adult-sized kidney into a child’s body is no easy feat. To help reduce the risks of this procedure, the surgeons used 3D models of the kidneys. They could then note any difficulties they may face and carefully plan the surgery.
This was the first time in the world that surgeons had used 3D printing to aid a kidney transplant involving a child recipient and adult donor.
As a result, the models will be on display in the Science Museum in London. Lucy and Chris donated the models which will be on permanent display from 2019. They will be part of the Museum’s new Medicine Galleries. Chris said:
“It was a great privilege for Lucy to hand the models over. We never expected such a lovely thing to result from something that began as a dark, horrible experience when Lucy developed heart failure as a baby and then kidney failure, and then needed dialysis treatment until she had her transplant.”
How’s Little Lucy Doing Now?
The surgery took place at Great Ormond Street hospital in London. Behind the idea of creating the 3D prints was Pankaj Chandak, a transplant registrar at Guy’s. He claims the prints are: “the next best thing to the actual organs.”
Thankfully, the procedure was an absolute success. Lucy is now “thriving” in both nursery and ballet classes. Chris explained that the 3D printed models were a useful step for him before the surgery.
“Seeing the models before Lucy’s transplant helped me to understand what would happen and eased my concerns about the surgery. It was reassuring to know that the surgeons could plan the operation in such detail before it took place,” he says.
The team used a new 3D printer which was paid for using a grant awarded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity. Using this printer, the team could model prints based on CT and MRI scans. Each model then took over ten hours to print using materials which closely resembled the liver.
Chandak added: “It’s wonderful to see how well Lucy is doing and it’s an honor to know that millions of people of all ages will be able to learn about the models and Lucy’s surgery when they visit the Science Museum.”
