A 3D absorbable bronchus to allow a 5-year-old child to breathe was implanted at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome with an experimental operation, the first of its kind in Europe. The small patient was suffering from bronchomalacia, a collapse of the bronchial wall that prevents the normal flow of air in the lung. The 3D bronchus was entirely designed for Bambino Gesù with sophisticated imaging and bioengineering techniques.

The baby is fine. The 3d bronchus was printed with bio-resorbable material that will be progressively eliminated from the body after having accompanied the growth of the child's respiratory system and returned to the bronchus its functionality. A little less than a month after surgery, the little patient was able to go home.