2020-04-02_Science_Illustrated

Scientists 3D-print artificial

jaw for cancer patient

In Skyfall (2012), Raoul Silva is the Bond villain

with a jaw implant that helps him breathe. A

jaw implant allowed a real patient, Shirley Anderson,

to have a new face prosthesis after he lost his

jawbone due to a cancer tumour in his tongue.

Doctors from Indiana University in 2012 made a

prosthesis for Shirley Anderson using a 3D printer.

They CT-scanned Anderson’s face and subsequently

used the data to create a model on a computer, using

this to design a replacement that was printed by

means of the stereolitography method. A

stereolithography printer consists of a tank with

liquid plastic and a laser underneath. The laser

‘draws’ the required shape from below layer

by layer, and the light makes the liquid material

harden. In the process, the solid replacement is

gradually lifted out of the tank. This process

successfully sculpted a new jaw for Shirley Anderson.

Patients can now get a 3D-printed substitute for lost skin and

limbs. Laser light creates accurate plastic replacements.

Veterans experience familiar war situations as part

of a new treatment to ease PTSD symptoms.

The villain of Die Another Day (2002)

suffers from insomnia, and treats

himself with a virtual reality mask. Doctors

are using a similar method to treat war

veterans suffering from PTSD, which can

cause anxiety and nightmares.

Dutch scientists in 2013 introduced a PTSD

treatment method involving the reactivation of

traumatised soldiers' emotions via virtual

reality. The veteran walks on a treadmill while

watching a situation from the war in Afghanistan.

A red ball moves about the screen, indicating

numbers that the veteran says out loud. The

task activates his working memory as the

memory of the trauma is activated. The brain

then uses fewer resources on remembering the

trauma in a stressful way, and the memory can

be ‘re-saved’ in a less traumatic version.

Red ball eases

war trauma

VILLAIN

The^ sleepless^ villain

Gustav^ Graves^ in^ Die

Another^ Day^ (^2002 )^

had^ a^

mask^ he^ called^ a^ Dr

eam^

Machine,^ and^ he^ ai

med^ to^

trigger^ a^ war^ between

North^

and^ South^ Korea.

VILLAIN

Raoul Silva with the

disfigured face (^) from
Skyfall ( (^2012) ) wan
back a ted^ to^ get^
t Bond’s employer,
the (^) British MI (^6) secre
t service.
WITHOUT PROSTHESIS WITH PROSTHESIS
Shirley Anderson lost
part of his jaw due to
cancer, but he got a
new 3D-printed
replacement.
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