NHS gives pioneering ‘3D printed face’ to cyclist, 75, who was left with horrific facial injuries by drunk driver

A man who lost half his face when he was hit by a drunk driver while cycling with friends has been given a confidence-boosting lifeline – a 3D-printed prosthetic to hide his heartbreaking deformities.

Dave Richards, 75, was enjoying a trip with friends near his home in Devon when he was caught up in a horror crash on the A303 near Mere in July 2021.

Mr Richards suffered third-degree burns on one side of his face, affecting every layer of skin, from fat to muscle.

The grandfather of four, who was dragged under the car at the time of impact, suffered a series of brutal injuries that damaged his back and pelvis and broke multiple ribs on one side of his body.

He was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary where he was told he was lucky to be alive.

As he quickly scraped across the asphalt, the upper part of his face, nose and parts of his neck were torn away from his skull, leaving surgeons with no choice but to remove his eye and attach a piece of skin to the damaged half of his face.

Mr Richards said: ‘Surgeons tried to save my eye but they were concerned any infection could spread from my eye to the brain via the optic nerve so the eye was removed.

‘The decision was then made to make a free flap, to take the tissue containing the blood vessels and veins and place it on my neck; The flap completely covered the side of my face.’

Dave Richards was left with life-changing injuries after a car crash in July 2021

During his recovery (during which he needed two secondary surgeries to loosen the scar tissue in the flap) he was referred to Reconstructive Prosthetics, which had just opened the Bristol 3D Medical Centre.

This type of 3D scanning, design and printing being carried out in a single NHS location is the first of its kind in the UK.

Based in Frenchay, Bristol, the center provides scientific and technical support to trauma patients through cutting-edge digital technology and specialist reconstructive expertise.

As part of his treatment, Mr Richards was given a 3D prosthetic that fits the space in his face and mimics his hair colour, eye color and skin.

He said: ‘I was an outpatient before we started talking about doing anything about it but I was interested.

‘When 3D capability came along it opened up so many possibilities.’

Mr Richards said working with the center had been a ‘surreal’ experience which had helped him with confidence and rehabilitation.

‘This is not a very pleasant process; They relied on various molds and wax prints from manual processes, took lots of photographs for a record of what it looked like, and there was a lot involved in making molds and casts of your face, covering your nose and mouth.

Mr Richards suffered third degree burns on one side of his face

Surgeons had to remove his eye and use the ‘free flap’ technique to reconstruct his face; The prosthesis gave him a huge confidence boost

‘In the early days of my recovery I felt very vulnerable and did not expose myself to social situations.

‘It took me a long time to think about my image, how people look at me and what they think of me, but I’ve come a long way in that regard.

‘I was keen to explore anything that could be done to change the visual aspects of my injuries to give me more confidence.’

Mr Richards continues to visit Bristol 3D Medical Center and was also given a large orbital prosthesis and neck scar splints to help soften the scar tissue.

‘After wearing the neck brace produced with 3D technology for a week, I was amazed.

‘It definitely helped because it put pressure on the scar, softened the tissue, and wearing my facial prosthesis made my life easier.’

The dedicated family man said that despite his initial ‘skeptical’ feelings towards the treatment, he was happy to have gone through with it.

Mr Richards continues to receive treatment to ease the tension of the scar and may also need further surgery at some stage.

Mr Richards and his wife before the 2021 crash

He was given the chance to wear a 3D-printed prosthetic while recovering at Bristol Royal Infirmary

He said: ‘I’m glad I followed this course of treatment as it got me to where I am today.

‘I’ve always said that no matter what treatment I’m offered, if I think it has a benefit and the risks aren’t too high, I’ll try and try anything, and that’s still the case.

‘I always weigh whether the benefits outweigh the risks; I did this on the first day.’

Amy Davey, Senior Reconstructive Scientist at NBT, said: ‘Surface scanning for prosthetics in patients means patients can be scanned while they are moving, and this technology can use this movement to help prosthetics adapt to movement.

‘The 3D printers used contain advanced plastic resins that allow direct application to the skin and contain materials that do not harm the skin for a long time.

‘Another printer at the center is capable of producing materials that closely resemble those of bones, allowing for a much more ‘natural’ implant.

‘Over time, 3D scanning can be useful in measuring the patient’s progress and allowing necessary adjustments to be made, particularly in the treatment and monitoring of scars.’

The man who caused the accident was given a three-year prison sentence and banned from driving for seven years.

Mr Richards is slowly regaining his confidence

However, it is thought that he was released after a year and a half due to good behavior and the fact that he pleaded guilty from the beginning.

Mr Richards added: ‘As you can imagine I am not very happy with the reduced sentence because I almost lost my life and have to live with the pain of my injuries every day.’

The memory of the life-changing incident is still fresh in his mind and Mr Richards can recall in horrific detail the moment he was dragged under the car of the drunk driver who was allegedly speeding and using his mobile phone.

He said: ‘My two friends crashed and were thrown from the car but I was trapped under the car and rolled over; The engine and exhaust burned one side of my body, and the other side was crushed by the car.’

The most famous case of facial reconstructive surgery is that of Charla Nash, who was left to bleed to death in her best friend’s yard after her pet chimpanzee Travis went crazy and gnawed off her hands and face.

In February 2009, Ms. Nash, now 71, was attacked at Sandra Herold’s home in Connecticut.

The chimpanzee tore off its nose, lips, eyelids and hands, although Herold hit the mad beast with a shovel and stabbed it in the back with a large knife.

After the police arrived at the scene and shot the animal, Charla, who was seriously injured due to the attack, was taken to the hospital and fought for her life.

In 2011, he underwent a full-face transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and was fitted with glass eyes, the hospital’s third such surgery.

Earlier this year, 16 years after the attack, Charla expressed her gratitude to surgeons, saying the face transplant ‘brought my life back’.