Dr. Yüksel is a thoracic surgeon who practices medicine and teaches at Marmara University Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. He is also an inventor with three patents, a professor and specializes in minimally invasive Pectus Excavatum (sunken breastbone) and Carinatum (spine-shaped breastbone) Corrections.

 

 

His specialization requires the patient to specially create rods and stabilizers to correct the chest cavity. Dr. Yüksel said, ”Currently, it takes 4 weeks for bars and stabilizers to be made for my patients, which is very long." “My dream is to drastically reduce the time it takes to prepare for our procedures by creating something in a day.”

 

Dr. Rise to 60 last year. for her birthday, she received an Afinia 3D printer .

 

“My son talked to me about it and I was really interested in getting one. I thought it would be difficult to use and he told me not to worry. When I saw Afinia working, I was shocked to see that she was really plug-and-play.”

 

“I am working with a mechanical engineer who has created the characteristics of the bar and stabilizer devices that we use during the procedures. He was very familiar with 3D design software and quickly created files that we could print and send to the company that makes our devices. I understand that it is an FDA approved nylon that is being tested. We can't wait to try this new material. It has the potential to fundamentally transform the way we manufacture our rods and stabilizers”.

 

Dr. The surgical technique used by Yüksel (Nuss Repair) is much less invasive than the more traditional Open Surgery. He makes a small incision on both sides of the chest. A curved steel rod shaped to fit the patient's chest is inserted through the openings and placed under the sternum. This rod is guided into place using a small video camera called a thoracoscope. Then Dr. Rise turns the bar and raises the sternum. The surgery usually takes 1 to 2 hours and the bar is left in place for at least 2 years.

 

“As a professor at our medical school, I gave a one-hour lecture about the Afinia 3D printer. Even though my students have digital minds, they had no idea that we were using this technology in our school, and that really excited them.”

 

"Another part of my practice involves the correction of deformed tracheas. Unlike other parts of the body where grafts can be used, this is not the case with the trachea. I use Afinia to create models for segments that need to be modified.”

 

“I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do for our patients in the future.”