LA JOLLA, Calif. -- A loggerhead sea turtle with multiple physical maladies is now swimming a little more easily with the help of a 3-D printed brace.
The female turtle was rescued from a New Jersey power plant and has been living at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Aquarium officials said she suffered from a gap in her shell, abnormal spine curvature and fin paralysis - likely due to trauma she experienced in the wild - when she was rescued.
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Aquarium staff teamed up with experts at UC San Diego's Digital Media Lab and Thornton Hospital to take CT and 3-D scans of the turtle to craft a brace to fill the gap, which an aquarium veterinarian said could result in gastrointestinal and urogenital complications if not treated.
The 3-D printed brace is made of rigid plastic and will perfectly fill her gap. It's also designed to help the creature maintain buoyancy as she rests in the water.
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Because the turtle could grow to be 250 pounds, she will likely need to be fitted for a larger brace as she ages.
"This is truly an ocean rehabilitation success story," said Jenn Nero Moffatt, a senior director at the aquarium.