Vietnamese research team makes metal bones from titanium
"Individualized bone implant using metal 3D printing technology" impressed at the 2026 Scientific Innovation Competition when the solution could replace and recreate complex bone defects with individual designs for each patient.
Doctor Nguyen Viet Hoang, Center for 3D Technology in Medicine, VinUni University, said that in August 2024, the engineering team at VinUni received the problem of chest wall reconstruction for a 55-year-old female patient. The large tumor has invaded the 2nd, 3rd, 4th ribs on the left and part of the sternum. To remove the damage, the doctor must cut away the invaded bone, leaving a large gap in front of the heart and lungs.
The implant not only needs to fit into the space, but also needs to be strong enough to protect the organs inside, flexible enough not to hinder the expansion of the chest when the patient breathes. From CT scan data, a team of engineers led by Dr. Nguyen Viet Hoang built a three-dimensional anatomical model, determining the extent of bone removed. Then, engineers calculate the shape, thickness, fixation position, load-bearing capacity of the graft and how to insert the device into the body.
The implant was made using 3D printing technology of titanium material, used in surgery on September 11, 2024. Vinmec said this is the first case in Southeast Asia using 3D printed titanium structures to reconstruct the chest wall. For Dr. Hoang, it is worth remembering that the product designed and manufactured in Vietnam has become a part of the patient's body, helping them restore function and return to life.
To date, titanium implants implanted in female patients have worked well, maintaining the function of protecting the chest wall and not hindering breathing. "That is the real value of the technology that the group pursues," Mr. Hoang said. To date, the team's solution to develop 3D printed titanium implants has supported 15 patients with complex bone injuries for whom conventional implant solutions find it difficult to fully meet treatment requirements.
The solution includes hardware and software infrastructure in Vietnam, shortening the time to manufacture personalized implants from months to weeks. Hardware includes data processing workstation systems, titanium alloy 3D printing lines and surface finishing, dimension checking and packaging systems. Specialized software helps convert tomography and magnetic resonance data into 3D anatomical models, design implants for each patient, simulate force-bearing capacity and export data for manufacturing.
Start with a difficult case
According to Dr. Hoang, the project stems from problems in treating bone cancer and regenerating large bone defects. For patients with malignant bone tumors, doctors may have to remove a very large portion of the bone structure. Implants, or implants, are a way to help replace lost bone and help patients restore function.
However, the problem is that implants are often manufactured according to standard sizes and anatomical shapes. Meanwhile, each person's bone structure is different, especially after being destroyed by tumors or trauma. In many cases, a suitable commercial product cannot be found.
Modern implant technology allows for individualization, but has not yet appeared in Vietnam. If ordering a personalized implant from abroad, patients may have to wait weeks or even months. For bone cancer patients, that waiting time directly affects the chance of treatment.
The solution of the Center for 3D Technology in Medicine group is to localize technology, build design software systems and manufacturing hardware right in Vietnam. "Many people often think that the most difficult step is 3D printing of metal. In fact, the challenge lies in designing an implant that is both anatomically compatible and meets biological and mechanical functions after implantation," said Dr. Hoang.
On the one hand, the product must be light enough, compact and suitable for the patient's anatomy. On the other hand, it must have sufficient mechanical strength and solid fixation. For example, pelvic implants must withstand force when the patient stands, walks, sits or climbs stairs. Chest wall implants need to adapt to respiratory movements.
In the case of chest wall reconstruction in 2024, the team had to research and adjust many options for nearly three weeks through dozens of simulation scenarios before choosing an option that simultaneously met geometry, mechanics, and surgery. Each option is calculated from scratch with the following other parameters: how to fix the implant, determine the impact force and feasibility of surgery.
"We must detect problems in simulation or testing, instead of when the implant is already in the patient's body," said Dr. Hoang.
Advantage of domestic products
According to the research team, design and manufacturing in Vietnam creates optimal implant products for patients in a short time. In a case at the end of November 2023, a bone cancer patient needed to replace a large part of the pelvis and upper femur at the same time. The research, design and manufacturing time abroad was estimated to be at least two months.
The reason is that in difficult cases such as pelvic reconstruction, doctors are not only interested in replacing lost bone but also have to calculate the attachment points of muscle tendons so that the patient can move after surgery. The team of doctors and engineers need to coordinate to adjust the implant plan, even hundreds of times, so that it is feasible in manufacturing and ensures treatment effectiveness.
In the 2023 case, the surgery took place at the end of December 2023, less than a month after the patient was hospitalized. Even if production has not been fully localized, the ability to proactively design and coordinate directly between doctors and domestic engineers alone has helped patients save half of their waiting time, said Dr. Hoang.
"Especially for bone cancer patients, the value of shortening treatment time and the opportunity to access a suitable surgical option is difficult to measure," he said.
Up to now, when the entire process has been localized, the team said the goal is to turn personalized implant products into routine medical equipment in many hospitals, increasing accessibility for Vietnamese patients. This requires completing the process of controlling design, manufacturing, safety testing and meeting legal requirements, aiming to turn the product into routine medical equipment in many hospitals. According to experts, for implant products, the success of the surgery is the first step and needs to continue to prove the ability to restore function and long-term stability.
"What I hope most is that in the future, when a doctor in Vietnam encounters a patient with particularly complex bone damage, they will not have to give up a treatment option just because they cannot find a suitable implant or cannot wait for products from abroad," Dr. Hoang shared.
In early October, this was one of five corporate science projects that won the 2026 Science Innovation Award. At the final, the jury highly appreciated the ability to localize the titanium implant development process - which requires complex simulation, control of accuracy, durability and finishing steps, and post-printing size check. This ability helps doctors proactively handle complex bone defects, adjust appropriate implant plans and shorten treatment waiting time for patients.
Nam Nguyen