title: Three-dimensional printing for restoration of the donor face: A new digital technique tested and used in the first facial allotransplantation patient in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prosthetic mask restoration of the donor face is essential in current facial transplant protocols. The aim was to develop a new three-dimensional (3D) printing (additive manufacturing; AM) process for the production of a donor face mask that fulfilled the requirements for facial restoration after facial harvest.
  
  
  METHODS
  A digital image of a single test person's face was obtained in a standardized setting and subjected to three different image processing techniques. These data were used for the 3D modeling and printing of a donor face mask. The process was also tested in a cadaver setting and ultimately used clinically in a donor patient after facial allograft harvest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  and Conclusions: All the three developed and tested techniques enabled the 3D printing of a custom-made face mask in a timely manner that is almost an exact replica of the donor patient's face. This technique was successfully used in a facial allotransplantation donor patient.
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland; Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: antti.makitie@helsinki.fi.
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Mäkitie
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Salmi
authors: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Lindford
authors: Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Tuomi
authors: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Lassus
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D054445:Facial Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014019:Tissue Donors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D063986:Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: 3D printing; 3D scanning; Additive manufacturing; Cadaver; Finland's face transplant; Rapid prototyping