After a horrific cycling accident that obliterated half his face, a British man looks whole again, thanks to a remarkably realistic prosthetic “panel” that has replaced what he lost in 2021, reports News24.
In fact, it’s difficult to tell where the false face ends and the real one begins, and Dave Richards, who waited years for the prosthetic, said getting the new face to be the perfect match for his hair, skin and eye colour as well as follow the contours of his face, was an arduous experience.
To achieve the extraordinary transformation, doctors and scientists at the Bristol 3D Medical Centre, the first of its kind in Britain, made various moulds, casts and wax impressions of his face to ensure the perfect fit in a pioneering procedure. They also took numerous pictures from all angles to get things just right so the prosthetic would move naturally with his face.
Once the moulds had been perfected, scientists then made a 3D print of the prosthetic as a guide for specialists to create a wax version of the prosthetic panel. The final version of the prosthetic isn’t 3D-printed but was made by specialists from silicone and precisely matches the colour and texture of his skin – right down to the inclusion of freckles, veins and wrinkles.
A false eye was made out of acrylic material and hand-painted to match the colour of the iris and whites of his other eye. False eyebrow hairs were also added. Once that was done, the 75-year-old grandfather was fitted with a 3D-printed neck splint to soften scar tissue.
“It definitely has helped because it has put pressure on the scar line, softening the tissue and making life easier to wear my face prosthesis,” he said.
Richards now wears the prosthesis during the day, using medical-grade glue to stick it on his face for nine to 12 hours. He has to remove it every night to clean his skin and the back of the panel.
Scientists are currently exploring the possibility of inserting metallic studs into his face that will allow the prosthetic to click into place magnetically.
Meanwhile, the medically advanced prosthetic he now wears has done more than just make his face whole again – it’s given him back his life and made him feel a lot more comfortable with himself.
Drunk driver
The traumatic injury occurred in July 2021 when Richards, an experienced cyclist, set out with friends for a ride through Somerset’s rolling countryside.
But on the main road, a speeding drunk driver – talking on his cellphone – was racing up behind them.
“He wanted to swerve around us but there was a car coming the other way, so it was either smash into the car or smash into us.”
His two friends were hit by the car, thrown clear and suffered multiple fractures. But Richards, who was trapped under the vehicle, suffered the most catastrophic damage.
“I was rolled along, with the engine and exhaust burning through one side of my body and the other side being crushed by the car.”
He broke his back, pelvis and multiple ribs. However, it was the third-degree burns that penetrated through skin, fat and muscle on the left side of his face that caused the most damage. Doctors at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, where he was taken after the accident, told him he was lucky to be alive.
The surgeons tried to save his eye but they were worried any infection could spread down the optic nerve to the brain, so the eye was removed.
Doctors then decided to attach a flap of skin, transplanted from a different part of his body, over the half of his face which had been damaged, leaving one half of his face blank for the next four years.
While the physical pain of his injuries was excruciating, the emotional trauma of the accident and loss of his face were even more devastating.
The confident, outgoing fitness fanatic found himself avoiding mirrors and social gatherings.
“In the early days of my recovery I felt very vulnerable and wouldn’t expose myself to social situations,” he says. “It took me a long time to feel comfortable about my image.”
He needed two additional follow-up surgeries to release tightened scar tissue and while he was recovering, his surgeons spoke to him about the possibility of getting prosthetics. He was on board from the start.
“I’m glad I’ve followed this treatment process as it has got me to where I am today. I have always said no matter what treatment is offered, if I think there’s a benefit and the risks aren’t too high, I will try anything and have a go . . . and that’s still the case.”
Despite his social anxiety and self-consciousness about his appearance, Richards was determined to carry on living his life. He started indoor cycling five months after the accident and has been building up the confidence to cycle outside again.
The driver who caused the accident was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and causing the crash. He was sentenced to three years in jail and banned from driving for seven years.
However, he was released just 18 months into his sentence for good behaviour and for pleading guilty from the start.
News24 article – Doctors rebuild man’s face with 3D-print technology (Restricted access)
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