WATCH: 3D printing technology helps 2-year-old boy breathe on his own

When Garrett Peterson was born two years ago, he was unable to breathe on his own.

He came into the world missing a pulmonary valve, which caused his airways to collapse.

“He would turn blue instantly,” says his mother Natalie Peterson. She tells KSL that she will never forget the first time she saw her son in such a dire state.

3D printing technology helped change all of that for the Petersons.

After reading an article about a child whose breathing problems were fixed with an experimental procedure using a 3D printed splint, Garrett’s father Jacob thought it would be worth investigating whether the procedure could work for Garrett.

The Petersons reached out to the cardiovascular team at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan. They were able to print a biodegradable splint that was customized for Garrett’s airways.

The procedure was a success.

“When he’s off of his ventilator you can hear him taking really deep breaths a lot easier than when he’s on his ventilator,” says Natalie. “I love it.”

“He’s doing really well,” says dad Jacob. “This procedure has been a miracle for us.”