AniCura Herckenrode veterinary clinic in Hasselt has succeeded in removing a rapidly growing brain tumour from a dog, Indy, using a 3D skull prosthesis printed from a CT scan.
Recently, at AniCura Herckenrode veterinary clinic in Hasselt, 10-year-old Shih Tzu Indy was diagnosed with rare and aggressive bone cancer in the brain. Indy could barely get his mouth open and, without surgery, did not stand a chance. Ten specialists from veterinary clinics AniCura in Hasselt, Oudenburg in West Flanders and one from the Netherlands went straight to work with the latest technologies after a CT scan. The tumour, which they had to remove first, was in a hard-to-reach place. They then replaced the affected part of the skull with a custom and three-dimensionally printed plate made of titanium that was secured with screws. The eye and various muscles were subsequently attached to the plate, correctly positioned and with separate sutures, respectively.
The particularly complex, arduous but life-saving operation took three hours and cost €5,000. After 24 hours, Indy had already managed to move, eat, drink, pee ... and even a cuddle with the owners. He is now bouncing around happily again. The eye was also fully restored. However, he will need regular check-ups in the coming period.
The procedure is more common in humans; in dogs, it is a first for Belgium.
