Exceptionally Rare 

     A woman in her twenties in Israel has made a full recovery after surgeons removed her entire sternum and sections of several ribs to extract an exceptionally rare tumor - one described in only 20 some cases worldwide. 

     Our friend in Israel, formerly of Pittsburgh, sent this article to us.     

     To rebuild her chest, surgeons designed and implanted a fully customized 3D-printed chest cage made from PEKK, a high-performance carbon fiber polymer used in the aerospace industry. It's the first procedure of its kind performed in Israel. 

     The implant was designed specifically for her anatomy, mimicking the strength and flexibility of natural bone while allowing surrounding tissue to gradually integrate with it over time.

     "Rare cases require creative solutions," said Dr. Yury Peysakhovich, head of thoracic surgery at Beilinson Hospital. 

     "The patient was discharged after several days and is recovering well. Israeli medicine, once again pushing the boundaries of what's possible," said a spokesperson for the hospital. 

                                  This story stands alone.