3D-printed titanium cast built for gorilla with broken arm

Published: April 29, 2024, 2:41 p.m.

Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla, lives at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Dr. Meera Kotagal, Cincinnati Children's director of trauma services and pediatric surgeon, holds the bottom half of a 3D-printed titanium cast built by GE Additive, April 19, 2024. The cast will be fitted on Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla who had broken her arm the week prior at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Kotagal was in Gorilla World as vet staff and GE Additive engineers prepared to replace Gladys’ first cast with the titanium
Dr. Meera Kotagal, Cincinnati Children's director of trauma services and pediatric surgeon, right, discusses a 3D-printed titanium cast built by GE Additive with Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden curator of primates Kim Scott, left and Victoria McGee, manager of primates on April 19, 2024. The cast was for Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla who had broken her arm the week prior
Dr. Meera Kotagal, Cincinnati Children's director of trauma services and pediatric surgeon, right, discusses a 3D- printed titanium cast built by GE Additive with Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden curator of primates Kim Scott, Victoria McGee, manager of primates and Ashley Ashcroft, primates team leader, on April 19, 2024. The cast was for Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla who had broken her arm the week prior
David Bartosik, engineer with GE Additive, assists with the 3D- printed titanium cast GE designed that was being fitted on Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla in Gorilla World at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Friday, April 19, 2024. He was working with Dr. Mike Wenninger, director of animal health and Jane Duvall, vet tech. Since the cast was installed, Gladys has been tolerating the additional weight well
David Bartosik, engineer with GE Additive, assists with the 3D-printed titanium cast GE designed that was being fitted on Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla in Gorilla World at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Friday, April 19, 2024. He was working with Dr. Mike Wenninger, director of animal health. Since the cast was installed, Gladys has been tolerating the additional weight well
David Bartosik, engineer with GE Additive, assists with the 3D- printed titanium cast GE designed that was being fitted on Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla in Gorilla World at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Friday, April 19, 2024. He was working with Dr. Mike Wenninger, director of animal health, Jane Duvall, vet tech, Stephanie Heard, vet tech intern and Amy Long, vet tech. Since the cast was installed, Gladys has been tolerating the additional weight well
Amy Long, vet tech with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, carries supplies into Gorilla World where vets were fitting a 3D-printed titanium cast on Gladys, an 11-year-old lowland gorilla, who broke her arm the week prior, Friday, April 19, 2024. GE Additive created the new cast. Since the cast was installed, Gladys has been tolerating the additional weight well
Dr. Meera Kotagal, Cincinnati Children's director of trauma services and pediatric surgeon, is photographed in the outdoor area of Gorilla World at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Friday, April 19, 2024. Kotagal has a long history with the zoo, first accompanying her mom, Uma Kotagal, a pediatric doctor who helped with the baby gorillas and then as a junior zoologist and currently the chair of the zoo’s ambassador council