Patient-specific implants made of 3D printed bioresorbable polymers at the point-of-care: material, technology, and scope of surgical application

Type
01A - Journal article
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Parent work
3D Printing in Medicine
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10
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Pages / Duration
13
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BioMed Central
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Abstract
Background Bioresorbable patient-specific additive-manufactured bone grafts, meshes, and plates are emerging as a promising alternative that can overcome the challenges associated with conventional off-the-shelf implants. The fabrication of patient-specific implants (PSIs) directly at the point-of-care (POC), such as hospitals, clinics, and surgical centers, allows for more flexible, faster, and more efficient processes, reducing the need for outsourcing to external manufacturers. We want to emphasize the potential advantages of producing bioresorbable polymer implants for cranio-maxillofacial surgery at the POC by highlighting its surgical applications, benefits, and limitations. Methods This study describes the workflow of designing and fabricating degradable polymeric PSIs using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. The cortical bone was segmented from the patient’s computed tomography data using Materialise Mimics software, and the PSIs were designed created using Geomagic Freeform and nTopology software. The implants were finally printed via Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) of medical-grade poly (L-lactide-co-D, L-lactide) with 30% β-tricalcium phosphate and evaluated for fit. Results 3D printed implants using APF technology showed surfaces with highly uniform and well-connected droplets with minimal gap formation between the printed paths. For the plates and meshes, a wall thickness down to 0.8 mm could be achieved. In this study, we successfully printed plates for osteosynthesis, implants for orbital floor fractures, meshes for alveolar bone regeneration, and bone scaffolds with interconnected channels. Conclusions This study shows the feasibility of using 3D printing to create degradable polymeric PSIs seamlessly integrated into virtual surgical planning workflows. Implementing POC 3D printing of biodegradable PSI can potentially improve therapeutic outcomes, but regulatory compliance must be addressed.
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ISBN
ISSN
2365-6271
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Gold
License
'https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'
Citation
Maintz, M., Tourbier, C., de Wild, M., Cattin, P. C., Beyer, M., Seiler, D., Honigmann, P., Sharma, N., & Thieringer, F. M. (2024). Patient-specific implants made of 3D printed bioresorbable polymers at the point-of-care: material, technology, and scope of surgical application. 3D Printing in Medicine, 10, 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41205-024-00207-0