A UNIQUE Limerick project is creating bespoke breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies using state of the art digital manufacturing.
The pilot project, which was launched last Wednesday, will allow women who have undergone a complete mastectomy to avail of bespoke prostheses produced onsite at the point of care.
The use of 3D scanning and printing to improve the quality of life for survivors of breast cancer is the result of a collaboration between the Rapid Innovation Unit at University of Limerick; the Symptomatic Breast Care Unit at University Hospital Limerick and the Mater Private Mid-Western Radiation Oncology Centre.
As well as creating a better experience for women who have had a mastectomy, the bespoke prostheses can be produced for a fraction of the cost of current commercial solutions.
The Rapid Innovation Unit, a collaborative research group involving the University of Limerick and University Limerick Hospital Group, has extensive experience in the use of 3D printing at the point of care.
The team of experienced design researchers have been working across the UL Hospitals Group for some time to deploy state of the art digital manufacturing to rapidly address patient specific needs in the clinical setting.
Among the bespoke devices made within hours are patient accessories such as modified crutches, an articulated headrest accessory, bespoke eye covers, modified cutlery for arthritis sufferers and call bells for patients with reduced mobility.
Project lead on the breast prostheses project, Dr Kevin J O’Sullivan Senior Research Fellow at UL’s Rapid Innovation Unit, said there were “significant limitations” to existing standard breast prostheses.
“The ability to provide bespoke prostheses, regardless of shape and size, to perfectly match the residual breast is a significant improvement over the current standard of care for women who have undergone a mastectomy,” Dr O’Sullivan explained.
“We have an incredibly talented PhD researcher, EmmaJude Lyons, who has taken this project from concept to advanced prototypes in a few short months.
“The work we are doing across the UL Hospitals Group is incredibly rewarding, we see time and time again how the ‘one size fits most’ approach is severely lacking to treat some of the most deserving patients.
“The application of digital manufacturing allows us to address needs that may only be specific to one individual patient, but that have a huge impact on quality of life.
“Solving these individual problems on the ground allows us to build the research needed to translate solutions to the wider patient population,” he added.
The new service was described by UHL Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon Chwanrow Baban, who is also Senior Lecturer and Module Lead for Surgery at UL, as a game-changer for women who have had a mastectomy and who choose not to, or who are not suitable for, breast reconstruction.
“Available options for prosthesis are not always the best fit for our patients and this exciting project is all about improving the quality-of-life for women post-mastectomy.
“This is the first service of its kind in Ireland, and we are not aware of another breast service in the world that is offering this to women,” Mr Baban added.
Dr Lorraine Walsh, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Mater Private Network Mid-Western Radiation Oncology Centre, said that while mastectomy was often a vital route when delivering lifesaving treatment, she was keenly aware that it can significantly affect women’s self-esteem.
“At the Radiation Oncology Centre here in Limerick, we seek to deliver the highest quality of patient cancer care but also to enhance survivors’ quality of life after treatment. This was our north star driving our innovations for the 3D Breast Prostheses pilot scheme,” Dr Walsh added.
