World-first nitinol 'super elastic' springs reshape baby's skull in craniosynostosis surgery
核心洞察
A one-year-old boy with severe sagittal craniosynostosis (搜索) became the first patient worldwide to receive custom-designed "super elastic" nitinol (搜索) springs to gradually reshape his skull.
The new springs, developed by Great Ormond Street Hospital (搜索) and UCL, offer greater flexibility than traditional stainless-steel springs and may prevent the need for further surgery.
Experts say the technology allows children to avoid longer, more invasive operations and should reduce blood transfusion rates.
A "happy and cheeky" one-year-old boy from Derbyshire is doing well a year after becoming the first patient in the world to receive a new type of treatment for a rare skull condition. Rory Potter, from Chesterfield, was diagnosed with severe sagittal craniosynostosis (搜索) shortly after his birth in April last year, and in September underwent surgery to have "super elastic" springs inserted that gradually reshaped his skull before being removed.
Sagittal craniosynostosis (搜索) is a condition where the skull fuses before birth, causing the skull to be long from front to back but narrow from side to side. The rare condition affects around one in 1,800 to one in 2,000 babies in the UK. If left untreated, it can lead to learning difficulties, sight or hearing loss, breathing problems, and dental problems such as missing or crowded teeth, according to the NHS.
A new generation of springs
Over the last two decades, treatment has involved the use of stainless steel springs to gradually widen the gap in the skull, giving space for the brain to develop and for new bone to grow. Now, experts have developed new "super elastic" springs using a special metal called nitinol (搜索), a nickel and titanium alloy, with Rory the first patient to have them fitted.
Each spring is custom-designed to the patient, and their "super elastic properties" allow them to adapt more naturally to a child's growing skull, according to experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital (搜索) (GOSH). The springs were developed by experts at GOSH and University College London (UCL).
Using CT scans, the team created a detailed digital model of each child's skull to predict how they will respond to surgery. They then design bespoke springs to deliver the right level of force. Once inserted, the springs remain in place for several weeks to months, gradually reshaping the skull before being removed.
Professor Owase Jeelani, consultant neurosurgeon at GOSH, who was part of the team that developed the new springs and led the surgery, said: "Traditional stainless-steel springs are very robust, but they don't always allow us to finetune the force on the skull. These new nitinol (搜索) springs give us much greater flexibility and, in some cases, can prevent the need for further surgery. This first surgery is important progress for children with craniosynostosis and, so far, we have seen fantastic outcomes."
Clinical advantages and patient outcome
The new technology means children can avoid longer and more invasive operations, and it should see a reduction in blood transfusion rates, experts say. After Rory was referred to GOSH, medics thought he may benefit from the new nitinol (搜索) springs, instead of the traditional steel springs, because his case was severe.
Rory had the 45-minute operation to fit the springs in September and only needed to stay in hospital for one night before returning to Derbyshire. Nine weeks later, the springs were removed after his skull reached the desired outcome.
Professor Silvia Schievano, who led the team of biomedical engineers at UCL, said: "This has been many years in the making, with thousands of hours of necessary research undertaken. It is a very proud moment to see this technology used in a child with such a positive result. It uplifts the importance of engineering research and clinical care coming together to develop new technologies for improved healthcare."
Rory's mother, Jo Potter, said: "Rory is so happy, cheeky and full of energy. You wouldn't know what he's been through, he's just like every little boy and hitting milestones and he will have a great story to tell when he's older. We cannot thank the team enough for the care, compassion and reassurance. Not to mention their dedication to medical science to support and help children thrive."