A baby boy in the U.K. has become the first in the world to receive a new type of treatment for a rare skull condition.

Rory Potter was diagnosed with severe sagittal craniosynostosis shortly after his birth last April, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) said in a news release. The condition — which affects the shape of a baby’s skull — occurs when the baby’s skull bones fuse, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It affects about 1 in every 2,500 babies in the U.S.

Treatments typically include wearing a medical helmet or reshaping surgery that involves inserting stainless steel springs. However, Rory, now 1, underwent a new surgery that involves inserting “super elastic” springs made from the metal nitinol, an alloy of nickel and titanium.

“Rory is so happy, cheeky and full of energy,” said his mother Jo Potter, per the GOSH news release. “You wouldn’t know what he’s been through, he’s just like every little boy and hitting milestones and he will have a great story to tell when he’s older.”

Rory Potter.Family Handout/GOSH
Experts at GOSH and University College London (UCL) developed the “super elastic springs” as a “safer, more flexible and highly personalized treatment for children with complex forms” of craniosynostosis, per a UCL news release.

“Traditional stainless-steel springs are very robust, but they don’t always allow us to fine-tune the force on the skull,” said consultant neurosurgeon Professor Owase Jeelani, per the GOSH news release. “These new nitinol springs give us much greater flexibility and, in some cases, can prevent the need for further surgery.”

Rory’s treatment involved CT scans being used to create a detailed digital model of his skull to predict how he would respond to surgery. Custom springs were then designed to “deliver the right level of force in exactly the right place.”

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It took Professor Jeelani and his team 45 minutes to complete the insertion of the springs into Rory’s skull in September 2025. Nine weeks later, the springs were removed as Rory’s skull had reached the desired outcome.

“Throughout the process, every element was explained so well,” said Jo, 36, per the GOSH news release. “We knew what was going to happen and how, we received amazing support from each member of the team.”

Rory Potter.Family Handout/GOSH
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Professor Jeelani described the outcome as “fantastic,” while emphasizing the importance of a child with craniosynostosis’ first surgery.

Rory is now home in the Peak District in northern England, getting to play and have fun with his 3-year-old brother, Oscar, and their family dog, Ada.

“We cannot thank the team enough for the care, compassion and reassurance,” Jo added. “Not to mention their dedication to medical science to support and help children thrive.”

Jo Potter with her sons Rory and Oscar.Family Handout/GOSH

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Previously, craniosynostosis surgery involved longer, more invasive operations with high blood transfusion rates, according to GOSH. Research for the new nitinol springs was funded by the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity and the National Institute for Health and Care Research GOSH Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC).

“This has been many years in the making, with thousands of hours of necessary research undertaken,” Silvia Schievano, a UCL professor in biomedical engineering, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “It is a very proud moment to see this technology used in a child with such a positive result.”

“It uplifts the importance of engineering research and clinical care coming together to develop new technologies for improved healthcare,” Professor Schievano added.