American scientists have developed a flexible “bone” that can be printed on a 3D printer and implanted in a patient. “We’ve created something very unique and very innovative – synthetic bone,” says Nirav Shah, an orthopedic surgeon. It is cheaper than the substitutes used so far and works better in the operating room.
Ramille Shah, an expert in materials research along with a team of engineers, has invented a new synthetic 3D material called super-elastic bone. With the support of the National Science Foundation of America, they are now working to bring their invention to every surgical room in the world.
– Thanks to this technique, we can create implants ideally suited to patients. If we have a patient who needs skull surgery, we can scan the damaged fragment and print a new one in the correct shape and size, says Ramille Shah.
Orthopedic surgery can be very difficult. Doctors often take a piece of bone from the patient for implants and try to give them the shape they need.
Spare parts made of metal, unfortunately, sometimes do not fit together, and existing bone substitutes have their limitations.
The new synthetic bone is made of flexible ceramics. At first it is just liquid ink. Scientists print the shapes they need. The process is fast and everything happens at room temperature. They also print flat sheets, thanks to which specialists are able to create finished products.
After implantation, flexible bone promotes tissue growth and over time becomes part of the patient’s body.
Based on: tvn24bis.pl