Luke Bevan becomes first patient in world-first clinical trial that uses leg to grow skull bone
A horror crash just days into what was meant to be a five-month overseas holiday has landed a Sunshine Coast man in a world-first medical procedure trial.
Sunshine Coast
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A Sunshine Coast man whose life was blown apart after a motorcycle crash in Indonesia a few days into what was meant to be a five-month overseas trip is now undergoing a world-first medical trial to try and restore his skull.
Buddina man Luke Bevan, 28, was only days into his holiday when he was involved in a motorcycle crash in Lombok, Indonesia in July, 2019.
He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, was left deaf in one ear and blind and lost a part of his skull as a result of the crash.
The popular electrician and former Nambour State College student was left fighting for life in an Indonesian hospital after the accident.
Mr Bevan’s family fundraised more than $50,000 to fly him to Perth.
He was transferred to Brisbane in August, 2020, after his mum Mandi Ilot saw a news story on a surgery that was performed on another patient.
She contacted Princess Alexandra Hospital plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Michael Wagels.
Dr Wagels said Mr Bevan became the first patient enrolled in a world-first clinical trial that used a 3D-printed implant made by a Singapore-based company, combined with a patient’s own tissue, to encourage bone growth.
Ms Ilot said that in August, 2021, Mr Bevan had the implant placed in his skull along with bone from his knee and the skin flap.
Dr Wagels said the 3D implant was one part of the of the procedure and “autotransplanting” of Mr Bevan’s knee tissue to his skull was critical to bone growth as the implant slowly dissolved.
Autotransplanting means to move tissue from one part of a patient’s body to another.
“My job is giving things a blood supply and I’m very passionate about this,” Dr Wagels said.
Ms Ilot said before the August surgery, Mr Bevan had already endured two procedures in which a conventional titanium plate was used in his skull.
She said infections followed both surgeries and the plates were removed.
“Imagine having a big chunk of metal in your head when it’s cold, it would be awful,” Ms Ilot said.
“You’re never clear of infection or a risk of having the titanium removed.”
Mr Bevan must now remain seizure-free before the next surgery to remove a skin flap currently causing a visible ridge line in his skull while he will also continue to undergo a range of therapies to assist with his condition.
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