Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a rapidly emerging technology that promises to transform tissue engineering into a commercially successful biomedical industry. However, the use of robotic bioprinters alone is not sufficient for disease treatment. This study aimed to report the combined application of 3D scanning and 3D printing for treating bone and cartilage defects. Three different kinds of defect models were created to mimic three orthopedic diseases: large segmental defects of long bones, free-form fracture of femoral condyle, and International Cartilage Repair Society grade IV chondral lesion. Feasibility of in situ 3D bioprinting for these diseases was explored. The 3D digital models of samples with defects and corresponding healthy parts were obtained using high-resolution 3D scanning. The Boolean operation was used to achieve the shape of the defects, and then the target geometries were imported in a 3D bioprinter. Two kinds of photopolymerized hydrogels were synthesized as bioinks. Finally, the defects of bone and cartilage were restored perfectly in situ using 3D bioprinting. The results of this study suggested that 3D scanning and 3D bioprinting could provide another strategy for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
In this study, we designed a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)alginate based hydrogel and evaluated its cytocompatibility and printability. The samples were fabricated by 3D printing using a freeze-thaw process. The scanning electron microscope, material testing machine, rheometer, and cell counting kit-8 assay were used to examine the morphology, mechanical properties, rheological properties, and cytocompatiblity of the scaffolds, respectively. The mechanical strength, cytocompatiblity, crosslinking time, and printability were remarkably improved with the use of PVA. To sum up, our data suggest that hybrid bioink is more appropriate for precise 3D bioprinting due to its rapid prototyping capability and better cytocompatibility.
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