VOA常速英语2018--3D打印技术可降低手术难度

Three-year-old Dexter Clark was born with bad kidneys. His father Brendan says the boy was constantly sick. When he was 1 year old, we had to have a procedure to give him a gastrostomy so it could be fed through a tube because he threw up so much. A kidney transplant would change Dexter’s life.

3岁的德克斯特 克拉克(Dexter Clark)患有先天性肾功能障碍。克拉克的父亲布兰登说，小克拉克疾病缠身。他1岁的时候，我们不得不给他做了一次胃造口手术，这样他才能通过胃管进食了，因为他吐得太严重了。进行肾移植可以改变小克拉克的一生。

His father’s matched but Brendan’s kidney was bigger than average which would complicate¹ surgery so doctors at Guy’s and St. Thomas NHS Foundation Trust 3D-printed copies of Brendan’s and Dexter’s organs.

小克拉克的父亲的肾脏与他匹配，但父亲的肾脏要比一般人的大一些，这会加大手术难度。所以，圣托马斯国民保健服务基金会将希望寄托在了对克拉克父子的器官进行3D打印上。

Practicing on the replica² organs allows doctors to spot potential problems before the actual operation begins, says transplant surgeon Nicos Kessaris. The components³ are flexible so you can manipulate them to simulate the steps of the operation as well.

通过在复制器官上演练，医生可以在手术正式开始前发现潜在的问题，移植外科医生尼科斯(Nicos Kessaris)如是说道。所有组件都可以灵活控制，也可以模拟手术过程中的每个步骤。

Technology companies Stratasys developed the 3D organ printer. These practice organs can help cut the cost of health care, says company Vice⁴ President Phil Reeves. If we can take an hour or two hours off a procedure, if we can reduce the amount of time in that theater, reduce the amount of recovery time, the amount of beds being taken up, all of that compounded really drives the economic argument for where 3D printing helps the Health Service.

科技公司斯特拉塔西斯研发了3D器官打印机。这些器官可以用来演练，能助力降低医疗费用，该公司副总裁菲尔(Phil Reeves)如是说道。如果一个流程能减少1-2小时的时间，如果能减少手术的时间，减少病人恢复的时间，提高床位的利用率，那么这些加起来真地可以证明3D打印技术确实可以帮助公共医疗卫生服务节约成本了。

What’s inside? Daddy’s kidney. And helps a three-year-old boy and his family lead a normal life.

这里面是什么呀？是爸爸的心脏！可以帮助一个3岁的男孩和他的家庭过上正常人的生活。

1 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

2 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

3 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。