Case Study: University Hospital Gent achieves knee preservation for a six‑year‑old cancer patient with Materialise 3D‑printed surgical guides

Saving a Six-Year-Old Cancer Patient’s Knee

University Hospital Gent faced a high-stakes case when six-year-old Helena was diagnosed with a malignant tumor so close to her knee that the usual 3 cm surgical margin would likely have required amputation. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Gwen Sys partnered with Materialise, using Materialise’s Mimics software and 3D printing services to create patient-specific anatomical models, surgical guides, and implants to tackle the challenge.

Materialise produced a 3D reconstruction from Helena’s CT/MR data, printed an exact bone model, and delivered custom surgical guides and titanium plates that allowed the team to reduce the standard 3 cm margin and accurately transfer the pre-surgical plan to the OR. Thanks to Materialise’s solution, Dr. Sys removed the tumor while preserving Helena’s knee—avoiding amputation—and the child is now undergoing chemotherapy and physiotherapy as she recovers.

University Hospital Gent

Gwen Sys

Orthopedic Surgeon