3D printing live
Surgeons will be able to "print" the patient's bones without leaving the operating room
Scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have learned how to reconstruct a patient's damaged bones using a 3D printer. This method has already been used before, its novelty is that it is now possible to "print" bones at room temperature. In creating the missing tissue, doctors will be helped by a special gel based on the patient's living bone cells, which can be used to fill the damaged bone.
Article by Romanazzo et al. Synthetic Bone‐Like Structures Through Omnidirectional Ceramic Bioprinting in Cell Suspensions is published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials – VM.
The new technology, which allows scientists to reconstruct the necessary part of the bone at room temperature, will help doctors in the treatment of fractures, the consequences of cancer and the reconstruction of various bone injuries. The new development is announced by the press release UNSW Scientists use novel ink to 3D-print ‘bone’ with living cells – VM.
To reconstruct the missing part of the bone, scientists use a specially developed gel (biochernila), which contains live bone cells of the patient and a solution of calcium phosphate (it is necessary for the formation and maintenance of the skeleton). It will be possible to "print" the bone within a few minutes without leaving the operating room. Biochernils form a structure inside the bone cavity, which are similar in chemical composition to the original one, so they easily adapt and take the form of the missing part of the bone.
You can view the prototype of the device on YouTube – VM.
"The cool thing about our technique is that you can just squeeze ink directly into the patient's bone cavity. We can look inside the bone, where there are cells, blood vessels and fat, and print a bone–like structure that already contains the patient's living cells," says one of the study leaders, Professor Kilian.
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