Around one and a half year ago, scientists at the Northwestern University developed a 3d printed Hyperelastic Bone that not only encourages bone regrowth but actually grows as the body grows. This is especially important when making implants in children.
By 3D printing an implant the exact size and shape of a patient’s void, Hyperelastic Bone could be used to repair severely damaged bones. After the implant, this material facilitates the full regrowth and regeneration of the bone, unlike traditional methods that don’t allow for regeneration. Hyperplastic Bone can be cut, rolled, punched, and folded. It is extremely user friendly, easy to work with, and requires no special knowledge.
The Hyperelastic Bone kit starts at $250 and can be printed using a bioprinter like Allevi 1, which costs $4,995. The Allevi 1 works with several types of materials like cells, collagen, matrigel, and many others.
There is still some time before we see this material being used in humans, but the research on this material is going well, and by the time it is ready for medical procedures, it is likely that the costs of 3D/bio printers as well as the material for Hyperelastic Bone would be much cheaper.
Watch the video below to see how it works.
Source: 3dprint.com