A 10-year-old child who was attacked by an animal in India had his nose totally repaired thanks to a revolutionary medical method. The operation, carried out by the Plastic Surgery team at Rome's Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, represented a significant medical challenge. The young boy, Ravi (not his actual name), arrived with a severe mutilation, which included the complete loss of his nose and a portion of his upper lip. "This surgery represents a milestone in pediatric plastic surgery", says Dr. Mario Zama, director of the Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit. "We have not only restored a fundamental aspect of his physical appearance, but we have also granted him the opportunity to lead a more peaceful and dignified life". One of the most difficult obstacles was the entire loss of a nose, which is generally a useful reference for reconstruction. The 3D laboratory enabled the creation of models that were accurate to the child's skull until the best shape for implantation was determined. The reconstruction process was complex, involving the restoration of the upper lip using a technique similar to that employed for cleft lip. The nose, on the other hand, was reconstructed in three stages: the external lining, the internal lining (mucosa), and the skeletal-cartilaginous part. The external lining was made of a forehead skin and muscle flap, while the supporting skeleton was made of rib cartilage grafts. Zama concludes, "We were able to reconstruct Ravi's nose from the ground up, an extraordinary accomplishment that was made possible by the close collaboration of plastic surgeons, engineers, radiologists, anesthetists, resuscitators, and other specialists at the hospital".