3D printing a breast reconstruction revolution

Breast cancer is a battle that affects one in eight women globally. For many, a mastectomy - a surgical procedure that removes the affected breast tissue - is a necessary part of treatment.

Each year, an estimated 600,000 mastectomies are performed, yet only around 30 per cent of those women undergo breast reconstruction surgery - a disparity that’s thought to be down to a mix of factors including a reluctance to undergo further invasive surgical procedures and concerns over longer-term complications.

French tissue engineering specialist Lattice Medical hopes to change all that with a reconstructive process based on its 3D printed Matisse device, a solution that Lattice R&D Manager Jaime Destousse claims offers a less invasive, more natural, and longer-lasting alternative to traditional methods of breast reconstruction.

We want this device to become the gold standard in breast reconstruction

Currently, two primary methods dominate breast reconstruction surgery: silicone breast implants and autologous reconstruction. Silicone implants, while the most common, offer a quick solution but come with significant drawbacks, not least the fact that having a long-term foreign body implanted can induce medical complications. These implants also typically need to be replaced every 10 to 15 years, which can be off-putting for some patients.