Danish 3D printing startup Particle3D has developed a new technique for creating 3D-bioprinted bone implants based on medical imaging data.
The 3D printing technique requires clinicians to acquire CT scans of a person's bones, near the region where the implant is to be placed, and then generate virtual 3D models based on these scans. Once Particle3D receives the 3D models, the company uses a 3D printer filled with its proprietary bioink to create personalized 3D-bioprinted bone implants.
Particle3D's bioink consists of a combination of tricalcium phosphate powder particles and fatty acids that allows the 3D-bioprinted implant to serve as a scaffold onto which blood vessels and natural bone can fuse and grow, according to a recent article from SingularityHub.com. The implant is designed to degrade safely and gradually, allowing new vessels and bone to replace it over time.
