Gladys, the 11-year-old gorilla, is on the mend thanks to a 'more gorilla-proof' cast, say primate experts
A groundbreaking medical procedure is helping an injured gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
Gladys, an 11-year-old gorilla, broke her arm last month in a scuffle with her siblings, according to a press release.
The gorilla was placed in the world’s first 3D-printed titanium cast, designed by GE Aerospace company Colibrium Additive based in Montreal, Canada.
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On May 16, one month after the incident, veterinarians at the zoo examined the animal's injury and confirmed that the cast has been working.
Cincinnati Zoo primate team leader Ashley Ashcraft reported in a statement that Gladys tolerated the 3D-printed cast "much better" than she did the temporary cast placed on her arm during surgery.
"Despite it weighing about 8 pounds, she’s been able to get around better than we expected," she said in the release.
Gladys underwent surgery to repair her arm on April 14.
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The zoo confirmed in a previous press release that it's not unusual for gorillas to have these altercations with each other.
Cincinnati Zoo’s zoological manager of primates, Victoria McGee, called Gladys' incident a "minor squabble."
Gladys, pictured here, is an 11-year-old gorilla who lives at the Cincinnati Zoo. The zoo confirmed earlier that it's not unusual for gorillas to have altercations with each other. (Cincinnati Zoo)
"She must have fallen in just the wrong way to break her arm, but the result was a complete, oblique fracture of her distal humerus," she said.
The team hoped the titanium cast would be "more gorilla-proof," since it's made of the same material as the screws and plates that were placed in Gladys' arm during surgery.
Gladys was attended to 24/7 in the first few weeks of her injury while she was separated from the other gorillas, the release noted.
Gladys will most likely remain removed from her pack and the public for a few weeks after cast removal to "take things slowly"
Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal health, Dr. Mike Wenninger, confirmed that the keepers have "done a fantastic job" of keeping Gladys "distracted and happy" so she can heal.
"And the X-rays from yesterday show that healing is happening," he said. "We’re going to keep her in a cast for another few weeks. After that, she will require physical therapy, but should be able to use her arm like she used to."
The 3D-printed titanium cast, which weighs 8 pounds, is the first of its kind in the world, according to the zoo. (Cincinnati Zoo)
Gladys will most likely remain removed from her pack and the public for a few weeks after cast removal to "take things slowly" before being re-introduced, the release stated.
Cincinnati Zoo veterinarian Dr. Jessica Heinz said that she and her team will continue to work with Gladys through stretching and mobility exercises to ensure that she’s able to make similar movements on her own once she’s "out of the cast for good."
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Cincinnati Zoo for additional comment.
Fox News Digital also reached out for further information to Colibrium Additive. Shannon Morman, advanced lead engineer at the company, said that the "titanium cast took around 65 hours to print, and we were able to deliver it to the zoo team in under a week," according to 3DNatives.
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Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.
