Scientists develop ‘glue gun’ that 3D prints bone grafts directly onto fractures
Researchers have changed a standard glue gun to 3D printing A bone -shaped material directly on fractures, opening the way to its use in operating rooms.
The device, which has so far been tested in rabbits, would be particularly useful for repairing irregular form fractures during surgery, according to researchers.
“To my knowledge, there is practically no previous example of applying technology directly as a bone substitute”, co-author of the study Jung Seung LeeA biomedical engineer at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, Live Science told an email. “This makes the approach quite unique and distinguishes it from conventional methods.”
As a rule, large fractures or other defects in the bones require a bone transplant and the use of a metal attachment, such as a pin or a plate, to support the broken bone when it heals. But because the shape of These implants is not specific to the fracture of a given patient, this can cause poor alignment and compromise stability of the bone.
Previous studies have shown that 3D printing of tailor-made bone grafts for individual patients can be carried out, but these required considerable time and efforts to prevent them from being used on the fly during surgery.
Now, in a study published Friday September 5 in the journal DeviceLee and his colleagues detailed their new 3D printing method a bone substitute directly on a fracture using a glue gun. In research, they successfully tested technology rabbit With leg fractures.
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Basic 3D printing generally uses a flexible plastic wire, which is heated and then formed in the desired shape. But Lee and his colleagues created a filament composed of two materials: polycaprolactone (PCL), which was used in previous studies to create biodegradable bone scaffolding and hydroxyapatitis (HA), a mineral form of calcium important for bone structure. They also incorporated two antibiotics into the filament to help prevent infection; These drugs are slowly spread out of the filament over several weeks.
Using a modified glue pistol to extrude the calcium -based filament at low temperature, the researchers created small shapes that were cooled at body temperature within 40 seconds. They were then able to print 3D bone transplants directly on fractures and defects during laboratory rabbits surgeries.
“This highlights a significant advantage in terms of reducing operating time and improving procedural efficiency in real surgical conditions,” said Lee statement.
The researchers tested their 3D printed bone transplants on New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). They prepared fractures with metal plates and screws, then filled the bone defects of rabbits with their special bone type filament or with traditional bone cement and have followed rabbits’ progress over 12 weeks.
Rabbits with the new fracture treatment had better results, including better formation of bone tissue and dense bone growth during the three months, compared to rabbits given by traditional treatment. At the end of the study period, experimental bone material had degraded by around 10%, they noted.
“We have confirmed the therapeutic potential of this technology using a rabbit model,” said Lee at Live Science, noting that other studies on larger animal models are necessary before technology can be used on humans. Nevertheless, Lee said: “We believe that this approach has the potential to be used more widely in future trauma surgery.”
