A small piece of 3D printed plastic only a few centimetres long will change the life of Dubai schoolboy Talal Sawaf.
Talal, 11, was born with bowleg syndrome, or genu varum, and while that has not stopped him chasing his dream of becoming a basketball star, he needed corrective surgery to straighten his legs to stop him regularly tripping over.
The 3D printed surgical jig developed by a doctor for just Dh500 in Dubai allowed a precise incision to cut through Talal’s bone before it was realigned and metal plates fitted.
Before the first operation it was scary, I was worried about being put to sleep
Talal Sawaf,
11
Because of software licensing issues, the printing would typically cost about Dh127,000, but a British doctor developed his own printing technique during the pandemic, at a fraction of the cost.
Dr Gavin Spence now hopes to expand the technique used on Talal to other young patients in developing countries to make the procedure more accessible.
“Lockdown was the perfect time to focus on other projects like this new method of 3D printing,” said Dr Spence, who works at Burjeel Hospital for advanced surgery in Dubai.
“For years we have had these kind of jigs, but each one is unique to the patient.
"They have been used commercially, but their software is patented and expensive. The software we use is free, open access and the 3D printer that we use costs about Dh500 so it is considerably cheaper."
The plastic used is biodegradable, costs only a few dirhams and can take just minutes to print.
"It is the software that is expensive and time consuming," he said.
The plastic jig shows surgeons exactly where they need to break the patient’s leg so that it has the best chance of recovery and normal growth.
“The big advantage with this kind of technique is that it is very precise, and in developing parts of the world it can be easily transferable at a fraction of the cost.”
Dr Spence is hoping to establish an online forum to share expertise in the field.
So far, Talal has had two operations with doctors planning three more corrective procedures.
“Both of my feet were inverted, and my fibia and tibia were bent to the right,” said Talal, who plays basketball in the Dubai Tribe league and is inspired by his favourite player, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
“Every day I was tripping or falling over, but I still played a lot of sports, particularly basketball.
“I can’t feel any of the pins they inserted in my leg but I know it will take some more time.
“I can’t wait to play basketball again when I am better.”
A month after the first surgery, Talal began to take his first steps and is now adept at using his crutches.
He faces more operations in the new year, but once they are done, doctors expect him to be back on court at the Basketball Hub in Al Quoz by about April, if all goes well.
“Before the first operation it was scary, I was worried about being put to sleep,” said Talal, who is the oldest of three brothers and attends Dubai International Academy in Al Barsha.
“Now I know what to expect from the next surgery.
“It took me about 40 minutes to wake up, I didn’t feel a lot of pain but it was very weak, and I could not even raise my leg.”
There is growing interest in the applications of 3D printing in surgery, with the technology already used in joint replacement, spinal surgery, orthopaedic oncology, trauma surgery, dental and maxillofacial surgery.
Despite its numerous advantages, the technique has not been explored much in paediatric orthopaedics.
Other than the affordability factor, using a customised jig hugely increases the accuracy of surgery.
The tool helps plan out procedures in advance, especially in cases when a child has a complicated deformity in several planes.
Talal’s father, Said Sawaf, who works in architectural lighting, said the operation will make a considerable difference to his son's quality of life.
“There is a long period of recovery, but this will correct the deformity he has had since a child and enable him to have a much healthier life,” said Mr Sawaf, who is Arab American.
“He would trip over several times a day for no reason, so if he has any ambition for sports then this is the age to have the surgery.
“Talal wanted to watch the surgery afterwards and learn from it, he has a real interest in medicine now and wants to become a doctor when he is older.”
'Ashkal'
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Company%20profile
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
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Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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SPECS
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Everton
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Company%20Profile
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UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
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Everton%20Fixtures
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
AIDA%20RETURNS
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
