Key Takeaways:
- A 17-year-old girl named Mya Buie was shot in the face and had to undergo multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw.
- Her surgeon, Dr. Simon Wright, used artificial intelligence and 3D printing to create a custom jawbone plate in record time.
- The customized plate allowed for a more accurate fit, better alignment of the jaw with Buie’s teeth, and cut surgery time in half.
- Buie is expected to make a full recovery and is grateful for a second chance at life.
- The use of modern technology in medical settings is a game-changer and serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting medical research.
Introduction to Mya Buie’s Story
While waiting in a West Des Moines exam room, Mya Buie nervously applies her lip gloss. Three months ago, the 17-year-old had multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw. In this moment, she is waiting to be seen for a postoperative checkup. She hasn’t liked medical settings since a shooting landed her in a Des Moines hospital’s intensive care unit for several days. As she reflects on the traumatic experience, she says, "It was kind of scary. It was traumatic," recalling the night her mother’s ex-boyfriend shot her in the face during a fight just days before her birthday.
The Trauma and Surgical Process
The teenager was shot in the face with a.40-caliber bullet at close range, fracturing and shattering her jaw into tiny fragments and permanently damaging four teeth. For years, her surgeon, Dr. Simon Wright, a facial reconstruction trauma surgeon, has reconstructed facial bones by bending and molding titanium plates by hand to the injured area. However, this manual work has now been replaced with modern technology. Doctors used artificial intelligence to read a CT scan of Buie’s jaw, then a 3D printer turned that image into a custom jawbone plate. As Dr. Wright notes, "There is always a level of dissatisfaction, and it doesn’t feel good to do something just good enough." The new technology has changed this, making the process "so much easier than trying to bend a plate to get it perfect," and it’s "no question a game-changer."
The Benefits of Customized Jawbone Plates
Doctors say a customized jawbone plate allows for a more accurate fit, better aligns the jaw with a patient’s teeth, and cuts surgery time in half. What makes this process so unique, Buie’s customized plate was made in record time, a first for Des Moines trauma surgeons. As Dr. Wright explains, "The ability to make a custom plate has been around for 10 years or more, but the ability to do it very quickly has not been." The plate was created in a lab in Jacksonville, Florida, put on a plane to the Des Moines International Airport, then hand-delivered to the hospital on a Friday night before the teenager’s surgery first thing Saturday morning.
The Importance of Medical Research and Technology
Dr. Wright notes that this advancement serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting medical research because of its impact on people. "This came from the efforts of all kinds of people in different fields that have cross-pollinated. For example, 3D printing as a medical application, and at one point, it may not have begun with a medical endpoint in mind," he says. The use of artificial intelligence and 3D printing in medical settings is a game-changer, and it’s essential to continue supporting research in this area to improve patient outcomes.
Mya Buie’s Recovery and Future
For trauma patients, time is of the essence. For Buie, time does heal. The high school junior is back to school with plans to graduate early. Doctors expect her to make a full recovery. Her new jawbone plate will eventually fuse to bone and be as strong as ever. As Buie says, "I just thank God every day for giving me a second chance at life. I’m very grateful. I can tell my story and spread the word of God with this story, like a testament." Buie will likely undergo additional surgeries, including receiving dental implants for her missing teeth next month.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Mya Buie’s story is a testament to the power of modern technology and medical research. The use of artificial intelligence and 3D printing in her surgery has given her a second chance at life, and she is grateful for the opportunity to share her story. As Dr. Wright notes, "There is a lot of things that have to go right to do any kind of surgery at all, and to do something complicated like this, it’s really an inspiring thing to be part of." Buie’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting medical research and the impact it can have on people’s lives.
https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-doctors-use-3d-printing-to-rebuild-teens-jaw/70145940
