Two medical institutions based in metropolitan Taipei yesterday held their first 3D organ replica printing workshop in the capital.
Organ donation after death is relatively rare in Taiwan, as many people are reluctant to sign up to donate their organs after death.
As some people fear that organ donation would affect the appearance of the corpse, replacing the organs with 3D-printed replicas would put families at ease over the appearance of their deceased family member, said the Taipei Medical University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Center, which organized the event with New Taipei City’s Shuang Ho Hospital.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
More than 10,000 Taiwanese are waiting for an organ transplant, while only 170 procedures had been performed in the first two months of this year, Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center data showed.
Lu Hui-zong (陸惠宗), a neurosurgeon who heads Shuang Ho Hospital’s organ donation promotion task force, said the most urgently needed organs are kidneys, with an average of 8,000 people in need of a transplant each year and only about 200 receiving donated kidneys.
Most patients remain on the waiting list, and their need for regular dialysis weighs on their quality of life and the National Health Insurance system, Lu said.
Photo: Wu Liang-yi, Taipei Times
After an organ is removed, part of the body might appear sunken, he said.
Replacing the organ with a replica would improve the body’s appearance, Lu added.
His hospital recently fulfilled the wish of the mother of a deceased patient who donated their organs, Lu said.
The hospital replaced the donated organs with 3D printed replicas featuring words of gratitude and blessing printed on them, he added.
The procedure helped soothe the mother’s broken heart, he said.
The task force hopes 3D organ replica printing technology can help relieve the concerns of donors’ family members and increase people’s willingness to donate their organs, he added.
Innovation center director Hsiao Yu-cheng (蕭宇成) said the center can rapidly 3D print customized organ replicas using commonly available technology.
However, the process has its challenges, including creating a replica organ that has the same proportions as the organ to be replaced, Hsiao said.
The center uses materials that do not affect cremation, such as corn starch, Hsiao added.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
RSS