Hornbill Prosthesis
Collaborators
This project was done in collaboration with Jurong Bird Park.
Overview
Designing a prosthesis to help a great hornbill surviving from cancer.
Background
A great hornbill in Jurong Bird Park was diagnosed with cancer in its casque. Surgery was required to remove the cancer tissue, which involved the removal of a large portion of the bird’s casque. As survival of the hornbill is unlikely with a significant loss of its casque, an artificial one is required to ensure the bird can live post-surgery.
Key Problem(s)
Loss of portions of a great hornbill’s casque would lead to almost certain death without an appropriate replacement.
Objective
Create an artificial casque that ensures the hornbill’s continued survival.
Solution
Together with specialist veterinarians, the cancerous casque was replaced with a 3D-printed prosthesis. The surgery utilized domain knowledge from specialists as well as high-tech engineering gadgetry to perform the surgical resection. In order to accurately and effectively remove the cancerous tissue during the surgery, a customized surgical guide was crafted. The surgical guide and prosthesis were designed based on the hornbill’s medical imaging data to ensure they fit the hornbill’s anatomy. The material was chosen due to its biocompatibility with the bird.
Deployment and Usage
On September 13, 2018, the hornbill underwent surgery to fit the artificial casque. The surgery was a great success, and the bird was eating normally the day after surgery, gradually exhibiting natural behavior during the recovery process. This indicated that the hornbill had accepted the prosthesis as a natural part. Within 8 weeks of the surgery, the bird was back in the exhibition area.
Impact
This is the first known case of implanting a 3D printed casque for a great hornbill in Singapore.
Publications and Press
Media Mentions:
Gallery
Project Contact
Yen Ching-Chiuan
didyc at nus.edu.sg
Team Members
Yen Ching-Chiuan
Cai Bohong
Eason Chow Wai Tung
Xie Shangzhe
Ellen Rasidi
Hsu Chia-da
Virginie De Busscher
Hsu Li Chieh