3D-Printed Implant Saves 59-Year-Old’s Sight

Yossi Manko, a 59-year-old resident of the Hefer Valley, suffered a painful fall on the street while at work on the Louis Promenade in Haifa, landing on his eye. He could never have imagined that stumbling on the street could result in severe facial injuries, including a complex fracture of the orbital floor. As a result of the fracture, the eye muscles prolapsed inward, leaving him unable to look upward, with severe blurred vision and double vision that impaired his daily functioning.

The custom implant constructed for Yossi Manko's eye socket at Hillel Yaffe

When he came in for treatment at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, the decision was made not to rely on intraoperative measurements and adjustments, but instead to have a multidisciplinary team, made up of specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery from the ENT Department and in oculoplastics, use innovative technology that enables precise reconstruction of the patient's anatomical structure prior even before they enter the operating room. Using computerized scans, a three-dimensional model of the injured portion of the skull was printed, with maximum precision to the specific structure of Yossi's orbital socket.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Dekel Shilo, an oral and maxillofacial specialist, and Dr. Shay Keren, an oculoplastic specialist in the Ophthalmology Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. Together, the two carefully elevated the prolapsed eye muscles and secured the printed implant precisely into position.

"Precision is the name of the game in cases like these," said Dr. Shilo. "Thanks to the advance preparation and 3D planning, we were able to produce an implant that fits perfectly over the damaged area. This technology significantly shortens time in surgery and ensures the best possible functional and aesthetic outcome for the patient."

Yossi Manko after surgery, during his follow-up visit to the clinic at Hillel Yaffe

Dr. Keren added, "The printed implant enabled us to tailor it to the patient's skull structure with outstanding accuracy. Beyond the precision and optimal fit, there are additional advantages such as greater certainty (less real-time trial and error), reduced risk of injury to surrounding tissue, faster recovery and better results."

As noted above, the surgery was very successful. The patient, who had already been experiencing severe visual disturbances, was discharged home able to move his eye freely, with his visual field fully restored. This week, he returned to the clinic for a follow-up appointment, where he met with Dr. Shilo and Dr. Keren as well as Prof. Itzhak Braverman, Head of the ENT Department. They all confirmed that his recovery is progressing as expected.