Tuesday 26th January 2016- The Telegraph: Toddler gets world first adult kidney transplant using 3D printing

‘A three-year-old girl from Northern Ireland has become the first to have a life-saving adult kidney transplant, using 3D printing.

At four months old, Lucy Boucher suffered heart failure which starved her kidneys of oxygen. She was told she would need to have kidney dialysis for life, until surgeons at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Great Ormond Street Hospital performed the transplant.’

‘To conduct the transplant, for which Lucy’s father Chris, 35, donated his kidney, the surgeons made detailed models of Mr Boucher’s kidney and Lucy’s abdomen with a 3D printer, so they could map out the procedure with precision, hence minimising risks.

The surgery, which took place last November, has now been pronounced a success, with both father and daughter in recovery.’

‘According to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: “It is the first time in the world that 3D printing has been used to aid kidney transplant surgery involving an adult donor and a child recipient.”

Mr Boucher said: “My first reaction when I saw the 3D printout of my kidney was surprise at how big it was and I wondered how it could possibly fit into Lucy.

“Seeing the model of her abdomen and the way the kidney was going to be transplanted inside her gave me a clear understanding of exactly what was going to happen.”‘

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Monday 30th November 2015- BBC News: NI abortion law ‘breaches human rights’

‘Abortion legislation in Northern Ireland is in breach of human rights law, the Belfast High Court has ruled.

Currently, termination of pregnancy is only allowed if a woman’s life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her mental or physical health.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) brought the case to extend abortion to cases of serious foetal malformation, rape or incest.

The 1967 Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.’

‘A judicial review found the grounds for abortion should be extended in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s Attorney General John Larkin said in a brief statement that he was “profoundly disappointed” by the decision and was “considering the grounds for appeal”.

In his ruling on Monday, Mr Justice Horner said women who were the victims of sexual crime and cases of fatal foetal abnormality were entitled to exemptions in the law.

He said given that the issue was unlikely to be addressed by the Northern Ireland Executive in the foreseeable future, and that Northern Ireland citizens were entitled to “have their [European Convention on Human] rights protected by the courts”, the current legislation was in breach of their human rights.’

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Friday 16th October 2015- BBC News: Northern Ireland heart operations beamed across world

‘Northern Ireland is at the centre of cutting-edge pioneering heart interventions that are leading the way across the world.

Three live operations from Belfast City Hospital were, this week, beamed to the largest cardiovascular interventional conference in San Francisco.

About 450 health professionals from around the world watched cardiologists perform procedures on three women.

These patients had serious heart complications.

Although the procedures are performed regularly in Northern Ireland, they are unfamiliar to many cardiologists in other countries.

It is all down to two doctors who, less than a decade ago, realised Northern Ireland was going to experience a massive cardiovascular problem and set to work looking at alternative ways to perform non-invasive heart surgery.

Speaking to the BBC just minutes before the live link-up with America, Dr Colm Hanratty, an interventional cardiologist, said it was a proud moment for the team.

“We are sharing our skills, very specialist techniques that don’t involve open heart operations but, instead, intervention through the arm or leg, giving little access to the heart,” he said.

“Until recently this wasn’t available. People had to go on living with their debilitating conditions or some may have died.”‘

See:

Northern Ireland heart operations beamed across world