Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Development of technology to correct \'Curved Nose’ with 3D Printer

Medical teams at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital have developed a medical technology that corrects the cartilage in the nose that is bent with a support printed by a 3D printer. The research team led by professor Seong-won Kim and Do-hyun Kim, at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, has the correction of septum deviation using 3D printing support for 20 patients of the deviated nasal septum that for one year from July 1, 2016. The patients treated were patients with persistent nasal congestion with a score of 20 or higher. After correcting the nasal septum through surgery, then inserted prosthesis made with a 3D printer as a supporter. The material utilizes Polycaprolactone (PCL), which breaks down from the living body. After 12 weeks of surgery, Computer Tomography(CT) tests and acoustical rhinometry showed significant improvement in the natural septum deviation angle which indicates the difference between left and right nasal passages and the degree to which nose is curved. In the VAS evaluation, which evaluates the intensity of subjective pain, patients' overall satisfaction rate averaged 90.9 out of 100 and the record of operators' convenience in using materials was 88.3 percent. The deviated natural septum is a chronic nose disease that affects about 70% of the general population, although there are differences. Clogging nose is the main symptom. At first, only the nose on the curved side gets clogged, but over time, the broad side of the nose also develops rhinitis. Experts suggest that if you have always had a stuffy nose and phlegm around your neck even though you have not been diagnosed with chronic nose diseases such as sinusitis, you should suspect weight-based curvature. The research result was published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the world's most prestigious academic journal in the field of ENT. https://www.mk.co.kr/news/it/view/2019/03/126087/