In this work, we developed the first
3D-printed polyetheretherketone
(PEEK)-based bone scaffold with multi-functions targeting challenging
bone diseases such as osteosarcoma and osteomyelitis. A 3D-printed
PEEK/graphene nanocomposite scaffold was deposited with a drug-laden
(antibiotics and/or anti-cancer drugs) hydroxyapatite coating. The
graphene nanosheets within the scaffold served as effective photothermal
agents that endowed the scaffold with on-demand photothermal conversion
function under near-infrared laser irradiation. The bioactive hydroxyapatite
coating significantly boosted the stem cell proliferation in vitro and promoted new bone growth in vivo. The presence of antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs enabled eradication
of drug-resistant bacteria and ablation of osteosarcoma cancer cells,
the treatment efficacy of which can be further enhanced by on-demand
laser-induced heating. The promising results demonstrate the strong
potential of our multi-functional scaffold in applications such as
bone defect repair and multimodal treatment of osteosarcoma and osteomyelitis.