A New Robotic System Can 3D Print Biomaterials Directly on Organs
In recent years, the use of 3D printing technology to make biomaterials has progressed rapidly. Biomaterials integrate living cells (bioinks) and medications for the treatment of a variety of ailments, such as cardiac or gastrointestinal patches. Nowadays, bioprinting is primarily employed for research and medicinal development. It needs the use of huge 3D printers to manufacture structures that are surgically inserted into the body, which carries its own hazards, including tissue damage and infection risk.
As biomaterials are often soft, fragile structures, manual handling during the implantation procedure has the potential to cause injury. When implanting externally-created 3D structures, there can be a mismatch between the implanted construct and the tissue surface it is placed on.
On the other hand, directly implanting biomaterials into target tissues is a potential approach. Engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have created a small, soft robotic arm that can be introduced into the body like an endoscope and deliver biomaterials directly to the surface of organs and tissues. The F3DB proof-of-concept device is operated externally and consists of a long, flexible robotic arm with a highly movable swivel head that “prints” the bioink through a small, multidirectional nozzle. In this regard, the study’s corresponding author Dr. Thanh Ngo Do said,
Current 3D bioprinting procedures require biomaterials to be manufactured outside of the body, and implanting them into a human would often require extensive open-field surgery, which increases infection risks. Our flexible 3D bioprinter enables less invasive delivery of biomaterials straight into the target tissue or organ. Because of its flexible form, our prototype can 3D print multilayered biomaterials of various sizes and shapes in constrained and inaccessible regions.
Once the F3DB has completed printing in one place, it can be redirected to a new location to repeat the procedure. This means that the device can be used to print biomaterials across large areas, including the whole surface of organs such as the colon, stomach, heart, and bladder, which is not possible with current bioprinting technologies.
Engineers tested the F3DB on flat and curved surfaces outside the body, including inside an artificial colon and on the surface of a pig’s kidney, utilizing chocolate, composite gel, and biomaterials to precisely print various designs.
Significantly, scientists discovered that cells were unaffected by the printing process, and the majority of cells were still alive after printing. Furthermore, in addition to printing biomaterials, the gadget functions as a conventional endoscopic instrument by cleaning structures with water jets, marking lesions, and dissecting tissues.
“Compared to existing endoscopic surgical instruments, the F3DB was built as an all-in-one endoscopic instrument that avoids the usage of changeable instruments, which are typically linked with greater procedural time and infection risks,” said Mai Thanh Thai, the study’s primary author.
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