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Novel Method for the 3D Printing of Bioactive Biomedical Devices
Author(s) -
Weisman Jeff A.,
Murthy UdayaBhanu,
Tappa Karthik,
Mills David K
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.13.2
Subject(s) - 3d printing , fabrication , dopant , materials science , nanotechnology , process engineering , computer science , doping , composite material , medicine , alternative medicine , optoelectronics , pathology , engineering
With the advancement of 3D printing new and creative filament materials are being quickly introduced into the marketplace. These filaments are commonly manufactured with a large batch manufacturing method used to ensure that large product volumes can be rapidly manufactured with cost efficiencies. Small batch manufacturing is a more promising approach offering the potential for developing new and novel patient treatment modalities. These can be designed, prepared, and applied locally rather than having specialty implants fabricated offsite, with a significant savings in time and cost and the ability to provide customized treatments. In this study, commercially available 3D equipment (extruders and printers) and the role they may play in onsite small batch manufacturing was examined. Characterization of 3D printed constructs was performed to study the effects of using bioactive compounds in these fabrication processes and to ensure that bioactive reactivity of the dopant compounds was maintained throughout the manufacturing process. Preliminary results have shown that commercial 3D equipment can be used successfully for both antibiotic and chemotherapeutic doping of biodegradable polymers already in use with commercial 3D printers, and that these manufactured implants show greater elution properties than commercial‐grade PMMA/MMA bone cements. This novel method permits the fabrication of heterogeneous physical objects or structures of high complexity, without loss of resolution, and permits control over many design features including stack orientation, dopant and polymer composition. Doped constructs were also shown to be effective in inhibiting bacterial growth and reducing osteosarcoma cell proliferation.