They underwent the procedure outside of their home state of South Australia because IVF for gay couples there is illegal.

BBC: Penny Wong: Australia's non-story of the week

"Nothing has been done out of the usual procedure and outside of what is stipulated by law, " Reuters quoted her as saying.

CNN: Former Milosevic allies jailed

The same procedure of an outside review must be followed, however, and the review panel must overturn the insurer's decision.

CNN: Issues in the House debate over patients' rights

The US operation is the first time such a procedure has been repeated outside the Turkish hospital which pioneered it.

BBC: Heart bypass - with local anaesthetic

The US operation was the first time such a procedure had been repeated outside the Turkish hospital which pioneered it.

BBC: heart op

Kallmes says it is too early "to kill the procedure" but that doctors need to stop doing it routinely outside research trials.

FORBES: Effectiveness

The case was considered a rarity and the procedure to remove it was unheard of in the city of Petropolis, just outside of Rio de Janeiro.

CNN: Woman survives after harpoon shooting by husband

He also developed a series of apps that allow technicians to monitor and manipulate an MRI procedure on their devices, regardless of whether they're in the magnet room itself, or outside.

ENGADGET: Researcher brings modified Touchpad into the MRI room, breakthrough ensues

But it can be hard to grow outside of a relatively small niche, as most potential customers may consider it to be an expensive elective cosmetic procedure that, given other uses for their money, they can do without.

FORBES: The Looming Failure of Obamacare, Part 3: Rent-Seeking