Scientists 3D-Print Human Femur as Strong as Real Bone

Researchers 3D-print a quality femur that mimics the spot and flexibility of existent bone. Credit: MAKY.OREL / CC0 1.0

Researchers successful Texas, USA, person successfully utilized 3D printing to recreate a conception of the quality femur that matches the spot and flexibility of the real bone, marking a important measurement guardant successful aesculapian modeling. The project, which successfully 3D-printed a quality femur conception susceptible of withstanding accent akin to that of a earthy bone, was elaborate successful a survey published successful the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

Often regarded arsenic the body’s longest and strongest bone, the femur plays a cardinal relation successful weight-bearing and mobility. The printed version, an 8-inch midsection with a diameter of astir 1 inch, held up nether rigorous mechanical testing. Researchers said its interior operation was optimized to endure adjacent greater unit than earthy bone.

The exemplary was made from polylactic acid, a low-cost, biodegradable plastic. The full outgo to nutrient it? Around $7. That’s a fraction of the terms of accepted synthetic bony models oregon cadaver-sourced femurs.

Printed bones amended surgical readying and diligent communication

Dr. Robert Weinschenk, pb writer of the study and an adjunct prof astatine UT Southwestern Medical Center, said the accomplishment opens the doorway to cost-effective tools for some patient care and research. “The gold-standard mode to bash it is to get cadaver bones, but determination are ever issues with that,” helium said.

Beyond show testing, the printed bones are already uncovering usage successful surgical planning. Surgeons tin present make personalized bony models based connected diligent scans to rehearse procedures oregon explicate upcoming surgeries to patients. Instead of a level image, patients clasp the exemplary of their ain bone, Weinschenk explained.

The squad down the survey includes orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Samade, mechanical technologist Dr. Wei Li from the University of Texas astatine Dallas, and postgraduate pupil Kishore Mysore Nagaraja. Together, they spent months refining the printing process to mimic the earthy mechanics of bone.

New possibilities successful bony regeneration and grafting

One imaginable aboriginal exertion lies successful bony regeneration. Dr. Li noted that 3D-printed bony structures could yet enactment arsenic scaffolds to usher caller bony growth. When seeded with stem cells, specified scaffolds whitethorn gradually dissolve, allowing caller insubstantial to regenerate them, overmuch similar however accepted bony grafts function.

The FDA approved the archetypal 3D-printed bony graft to beforehand earthy maturation successful 2022, and objective usage has followed. The North Texas squad hopes their enactment tin assistance grow entree to akin tools by reducing accumulation costs.

Since publishing the study, the radical has expanded its absorption to see different bones, specified arsenic the humerus, radius, and tibia. Future probe volition research however diseased oregon damaged bones respond to unit and twisting—insights that could pb to stronger surgical implants and caller procedures.