3D Printed Bone Implants

[Recusant]

This sounds like a really impressive development. I understand the need for testing, but I hope it gets into hospitals sooner rather than later.

"Bouncy bone can be 3D-printed to become a universal repair kit" | New Scientist

Who would have thought a plain white ink could transform bone surgery? The newly developed ink can be used to 3D-print flexible bone implants in any size, shape and form – from cylindrical leg bones to entire skulls. What is more, once inside the body, the implants turn into real bone, giving surgeons a cheap and versatile way of repairing an injury.

When bones need to be fixed or replaced, doctors tend to take bone from other parts of the body, or use implants. Although the less painful option, implants are often brittle, meaning they break easily and can't be remodelled during surgery. Another option is to use putties made from crystallised bone of variable quality that come from human cadavers – but this is expensive.

Now, Ramille Shah at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and her colleagues have developed an ink that can be 3D-printed into bone implants that are robust but ultra-elastic, allowing surgeons to cut and manipulate them in the operating theatre to form the perfect shape.

Once in place, the implants are rapidly infiltrated by blood vessels and gradually turn into natural bone. Shah's team calls the implant material "hyperelastic bone" and says it could heal a multitude of skeletal problems, from fractures and spine repairs to implants that help to rebuild faces after injury or chemotherapy.

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[Dave]

Good stuff, Recusant!

Fascinating technology with lots of potential. Seem to think that facial hone replacement was used back in the days of the old laser hardened resin tech combined with C.T. scans, 30 years ago?

But modern materials and scanner-computer tomography-printer techniques make it a whole new ballpark.

Also panders to the idea of "enhanced humans" so popular in my favourite reading genre!

Now, with the electrically stimulated "muscle" polymers I saw elsewhere and conducting polymers . . .

Bigger, still needs a big back-pack for the batteries!

[Arturo]

Now I can get the face I've always wanted!

[Dave]

And I could have straighter and longer legs!

Be nice Not to bang me butt as I stepped off the sidewalk!

[No one]

If only somehow technology could be used to drum up some common sense, the human race may then be a bearable species. Doubtful, but still possible.

[joeactor]

If only somehow technology could be used to drum up some common sense, the human race may then be a bearable species. Doubtful, but still possible.

I'm afraid that people's phones are smarter than most of the owners.