Prosthetic planning and construction of a maxillofacial prosthesis

Abstract

In 1971 a five-year-old boy was diagnosed with a bone tumour in his face. The tumour is called Hemangiopericytoma and is known to develop in the pelvic region but can really develop anywhere on the body. The tumour was surgically removed and resulted in the loss of his left eye, left ear and parts of various facial bones on the left hand side of his face. Since then he has been walking around with this severe facial defect that scarred him for life and as a result never gained the self-confidence to appear in public and be self supportive with his own source of income. His parents have been looking after him all the time. Today he is thirty-eight years of age and a patient at Tygerberg hospital were his facial defect is being treated. We really hope for the patient to gain some self-confidence so that he can also experience the feeling of making his own money, walking in town, have dinner in a restaurant, have beer with friends etc. Everybody should be able to do every day’s things and to lead a healthy life style.