"They had to do CPR on him every day, " said April Gionfriddo, Kaiba's mother, who later found out her son had a rare obstruction in his lungs called bronchial malacia.

CNN: 3-D printer helps save dying baby

Creating a part that is specific to a patient's organ takes on even more importance with diseases like bronchial malacia, in which conventional intervention is risky and often the alternative is life on a ventilator.

CNN: 3-D printer helps save dying baby