Tessa Evans suffers from arrhinia, an extremely rare congenital malformation. Her parents, Nathan and Garinne Evans, learned about her condition during pregnancy and embarked on a journey to ensure that their future daughter would have a fulfilling life.
Instead of opting for traditional reconstructive therapies, as reported by El Mundo, Dr. Jonathan Britto from the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London proposed an ultratechnological solution to Tessa's parents. They will design an implant that will be replaced over time with other implants tailored to Tessa's growing face.
The innovative approach aims to prevent the little girl from experiencing the facial scars that traditional reconstruction methods often leave behind. The process involves using a 3D-printed model of the girl's skull.
"While the nose won't serve its natural respiratory function, it will provide a favorable cosmetic outcome," explained Dr. Britto. "With the new method and subsequent implantation at each stage of growth, we will have achieved tissue expansion. The nasal openings won't be real but tattooed, yet the appearance will resemble that of a normal nose," he elaborated.
Unlike previous methods, the specialist explained to the Spanish newspaper that the implant is inserted beneath the skin through an incision in the scalp, thereby avoiding any visible facial scars. When the time comes to replace the implant with a larger one, the incision is opened, akin to an envelope, and this process is repeated until the girl reaches adolescence, when she will receive a definitive prosthetic nose.
As a newborn, Tessa spent five weeks intubated, with a tracheostomy that enabled her to breathe without difficulty. "The doctors had to stabilize her so that she could breathe on her own, and that's when they allowed me to hold her for the first time," recalls her mother. Over time, the little one learned to breathe through her mouth.
"With this method, we will be able to avoid the most negative effects. It is a truly exciting alternative, especially considering that in the coming decade, the girl will be able to benefit from all the technological advancements made with 3D printers, which are revolutionizing the field of prosthetics," the doctor affirmed.
