3-D Bone Printing

Engineers have come up with 3-D ink that produces synthetic bone implants. This material could someday be used to replace bones in children with bone defects. (below is a femur bone that has been made with this new ink.

This 3-D ink rapidly induces bone regeneration and growth. This would particularly help children that need to undergo bone replacement surgery because they are still growing and this material will grow with them unlike any metallic implant. "Adults have more options when it comes to implants," said Ramille N. Shah, who led the research. Shah's 3-D printed biomaterial is a mix of hydroxyapatite (a calcium mineral found naturally in human bone) and a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer that is used in many medical applications, including sutures.

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