Scientists Develop 'glue Gun' That 3d Prints Bone Grafts Directly Onto Fractures
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Scientists develop a 'glue gun' for 3D printing bone grafts directly onto fractures, sparking discussion on the technology and its testing on animals.
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> Abstract: [...] To address these challenges, we developed a portable in situ printing platform to extrude biodegradable composites directly into defect sites without prefabrication or supporting devices. By modulating components in the composites, the platform can introduce specific functionalities in tissue reconstruction (e.g., osteoconductivity and anti-infection)."
> Osteopromotive describes a material that promotes the de novo formation of bone.
> Osteoconductivity describes the property of graft material in which it serves as a scaffold for new bone growth but does not induce bone growth de novo. This means that osteoconductive materials will only contribute to new bone growth in an area where there is already vital bone.
> Osteoinductivity describes the property of graft material in which it induces de novo bone growth with biomimetic substances, such as bone morphogenetic proteins. Such materials will contribute to new bone growth in an area where there is no vital bone, such as when implanted into muscle tissue.
The OT study glues on osteoconductive but not yet osteoinductive material?
Anyway, I hope this glue gun project can finally succeed. My grandmother had a broken femur a year before she passed away. Although she could still walk with a walking frame after surgery, the irreversible loss of mobility was undoubtedly frustrating for her.