Researchers from the CEITEC center at the Brno University of Technology have created a unique technology for printing bone implants focused on personalized medicine. This was reported by Radio Prague International, according to UNN.
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It is noted that a special bioactive paste is prepared in a high-speed mixer and fed through a syringe into a 3D printer, which allows for the creation of samples based on the precise individual measurements of each patient.
The basis of this know-how is so-called bioceramics and a viscous liquid made of special polymers. Such a scaffold perfectly fills the defect and acts as a bioactive glue. It stimulates the damaged area to grow new natural tissue, while the material itself eventually dissolves completely and painlessly and is absorbed by the body.
Primarily, the new technology is intended to help patients after complex neurosurgical interventions on the brain. During such operations, doctors have to remove a part of the skull. Today, metal or plastic elements that remain in the body forever are usually used for its restoration. The Czech approach offers an alternative — a temporary biomaterial that will eventually be replaced by the person's own bone.
In addition to traumatic brain injuries, researchers are already developing other directions within related projects. In particular, an antibacterial material for treating existing bone inflammations is being developed, as well as a separate technology for restoring the upper palate (cleft treatment) in children.
Currently, the development is at the stage of long-term research. Scientists have already successfully tested the results on animals — specifically, compatibility and bone bonding were tested on sheep. However, the technology is still years of laboratory work away from everyday use in hospitals.
To enter the real market, the inventors are waiting for the recognition of a global patent. The research group's main task is to sell the license to a large investor or a specialized company that can finance long-term clinical trials on humans and take on the complex and expensive process of official legislative approval of the product. In the future, scientists plan to expand this method from bone regeneration to the treatment of soft tissues.
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