3D Printed Heart Marks Breakthrough in BioPrinting
Tel Aviv University in Israel marked a breakthrough in bioprinting by 3D printing a small heart using human tissue. The 3D printed heart is the most complex of its kind, containing vessels, collagen and intricate tissue layers. Many research projects have been exploring the possibilities of printing cardiovascular tissue but they have never come close to a functional heart. However, this version of 3D printed heart is quite close to the real thing as it turns out. The researchers produced patch [...]
St. Mary’s Hospital Uses 3D Printing to Perform Corrective Nasal Surgery
Researchers at St. Mary’s Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, have used 3D printing to treat a condition that can cause respiratory problems and sleep disorders. In a clinical study, the team used 3D printing to develop a biocompatible splint that could be inserted into the nose and help correct a deviated septum. Deviated nasal septum occurs when the central cartilage, located vertically in the middle of the human nose and divides the nostrils into two, is bent slightly in one direction. The condi [...]
3D-Printed Device for Treating Parkinson’s Disease
A 3D printed device created by UK-based metal additive manufacturing company Renishaw was recently used in a breakthrough clinical trial for treating Parkinson’s disease, a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The drug being tested is the Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), a naturally occurring protein found in our brains and discovered that can help to regenerate dying dopamine brain cells in patients, resulting in improved symptoms. The groundbreakin [...]
Easy to Use 3D Bioprinting Technique Creates Lifelike Tissues from Natural Materials
Bioengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a 3D bioprinting technique that works with natural materials and is easy to use, allowing researchers of varying levels of technical expertise to produce lifelike organ tissue models. As a proof of concept, the UC San Diego team used their method to create blood vessel networks capable of keeping a breast cancer tumor alive outside the body. They also created a model of a vascularized human gut. The work was published recentl [...]
Minnesota Researchers 3D Print Bionic Eye Prototype
Bionics is usually the stuff of science fiction, but lately, more sci-fi has been leaking into reality. With the aid of modern techniques, we’re developing custom organs and implants, and now eyes. Researchers from the University of Minnesota have made the most advanced prototype of a bionic eye yet, using an array of light receptors on a hemispherical surface. The could someday aid blind or visually-impaired people in recovering their sight. While the research is still in its infancy, it is fa [...]
ADEISS Developing 3D Printed Procedures For Jaw Surgery
London-based ADEISS are working with surgeons to develop a range of tools and implants for medical procedures. The advanced medical and dental solutions provider is working on a new concept for 3D printed products that have the potential to change the way in which doctors plan and perform jaw surgery and/or replacements. The researchers are looking to 3D print replicas and reference models for various procedures and anatomic references. As with most 3D printing of medical tools and implants, th [...]