Patna: Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), along with the maxillofacial unit of PGIDER, successfully operated on a 16-year-old girl from Begusarai suffering from severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis, which had prevented her from opening her mouth properly for eight years.IGIMS said the procedure was the first of its kind in Bihar, involving total temporomandibular joint reconstruction using an advanced 3D-printed patient-specific implant (PSI). Before surgery, the girl could open her mouth by less than half a finger’s width.The surgical team released the fused TMJ and reconstructed it using the customised implant. The PSI was developed with contributions from Dr Kavita, medical head of the PM DevINE 3D Printing Centre of Excellence at I4IC, Guwahati, and her team.The maxillofacial team comprised Dr Akash, Dr Abhishek, Dr Apurva and Dr Jawed. PGIDER senior residents Dr Yash, Dr Meher, Dr Sudhanshu and Dr Aparajita Pandey helped plan and prepare for the procedure.Anaesthesia and airway management were challenging because of the restricted mouth opening. The team successfully managed intubation using a fibreoptic bronchoscope under Dr P K Dubey, head of the anaesthesia department.“The operation marks a step towards integrating advanced technology, indigenous 3D printing and multidisciplinary expertise in complex reconstructive surgeries at the institute,” read the press release.IGIMS director Dr Bindey Kumar and deputy director Dr Vibhuti Prasanna Sinha welcomed the achievement.
