An Ex Vivo Pilot Study to Assess the Feasibility of 3D Printing of Orbital Implants in Horses.
Authors: Jarry Jenny, De Raeve Yves, Dugdale Alexandra, Simon Vincent, Vandeweerd Jean-Michel
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: 3D-Printed Orbital Implants for Horses Enucleation (surgical eye removal) is sometimes necessary following severe trauma, chronic uveitis, corneal scarring, or intraocular neoplasia, but leaves horses with a cosmetically poor sunken orbit that can affect their appearance and potentially their willingness to work. Researchers from Belgium and the UK used cadaver heads from twelve adult Warmbloods to test whether custom-made, 3D-printed orbital implants could be successfully designed and implanted to restore orbital volume; they surgically removed one eye from each head using modified transconjunctival enucleation, took precise measurements of the socket using callipers, then designed bespoke implants in biocompatible porous resin using stereolithography before placing each one within the Tenon capsule and conjunctiva. Using a validated scoring system assessing space for a corneoscleral shell prosthesis, soft-tissue coverage, and bilateral symmetry, 75% of implants achieved an "A" rating (proper fixation) and 25% a "B" rating, with no failures; notably, production costs were approximately €7.30 per implant with a 5-hour printing time. These findings demonstrate both technical and economic feasibility for custom orbital reconstruction in horses, though in-vivo trials are needed before this could be considered for clinical application in living animals—a promising development that could meaningfully improve post-enucleation cosmesis and potentially patient comfort and compliance.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Custom 3D-printed orbital implants offer a cost-effective alternative to address cosmetic defects following enucleation in horses, with prototypes costing under €8 each
- •This technology enables personalized implant sizing based on individual horse orbital dimensions, potentially improving fit and prosthesis compatibility compared to standard off-the-shelf options
- •Further in vivo validation studies are required before clinical implementation; practitioners should await published efficacy and safety data before adoption
Key Findings
- •3D-printed custom orbital implants made of biocompatible porous material were successfully manufactured using stereolithography technique
- •75% of implants achieved optimal fixation (A score) and 25% achieved good fixation (B score) in cadaver model evaluation
- •Manufacturing cost of approximately €7.30 per implant with 5-hour print time demonstrates economic feasibility
- •Custom implants successfully integrated within Tenon capsule and conjunctiva with appropriate space for corneoscleral prosthesis use