A baby boy suffering from a rare birth defect affecting his skull successfully underwent a surgical procedure made possible by 3D printing technology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center announced yesterday, adding that it was a first for China.

The 8-month-old was born with craniosynostosis, a condition in which the joints between the bones of the skull close prematurely before the brain is fully formed, which resulted in his head and facial features being misshapen, and hampered his brain development.

Medical staff used 3D-printing technology to create an exact model of his skull to allow surgeons to fully plan the procedure in advance of making the first incision.