Posted on 02/07/2014 8:25:53 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Scientists at the University of Wollongong (that's a real place) in Australia have developed a device that replaces traditional surgery with something more akin to an art project. The BioPen is a handheld 3D printer that can actually print bone directly onto patients during surgery. Soon, surgeons will simply be able to doodle their patients back to health.
The BioPen uses a stem cell ink which can be coaxed into differentiating into muscle, bone, or nerve cells. A seaweed-based growth culture encourages the cells to thrive in their new environment while a second polymer, cured by the use of a UV light, provides a protective shell during the healing process. The complex and adaptive bio-ink can even be further augmented to include growth hormone and other substances that would encourage rapid recovery.
Obviously, the BioPen isn't quite ready for commercial use just yet. Next stop for this bone-writing wonder is St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, where it will undergo clinical testing. If all goes well, we could eventually see surgeons world-wide signing up for art classes in preparation for their new jobs as the human body's installation artists.
University of Wollongong, via CNET
I having my _____ redrawn this weekend.
a quantum leap forward in “medicine” while we undergo several quantum leaps backwards in society...
Were our progress as a nation and a world as welcome!
Thanks
Just in time - I’m down to my last few microns of cartilage in both shoulders.
Link says they are using human embryonic stem cells as the “ink”.
Aside from the moral questions, embryonic stem cells outside of their natural environment, a human in very early development, grow wild. They don’t necessarily grow in to the target tissue, in this case bone, because of their pluripotency. And they tend to grow wild due to their natural proliferating capabilities.
Some day her prints will come
One body part at a time...
Organovo is developing 3D human organs that will hopefully be used in transplants.
http://www.organovo.com/
All the mechanicals work, they can easily change the ink to adult stem cells derived from the patient.
*groan*
Interesting. I’m over due for shoulder surgery.
Gives a person things to think about.
Everything I have heard indicates that adult stem cells are actually better suited for this kind of application. Not sure why they would be using embryonic ones here.
Yes.
At least in theory.
One thing about such a process is that the deposition is going to be very damaging to cells. But it doesn’t need 100% integrity to be effective, just enough cells. Even a 1% rate of intact cells could be effective.
The human embryonic stem cells are hardier than adult stem cells and can be obtained in much more plentiful numbers. So development with more safe and theoretically more effective adult stem cells won’t be easy.
Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great idea that may work out well over time and help a lot of people.
...after surgery lasting only 26 days...
See my previous post on this.
HA !!
Source please?
Adult stem cells are derived from fat cells, I personally could provide the Nation's needs!
Because the technology is still in it's infancy.
: )
Speaking of thinking.... How soon before they can graft on more brains ?
Speaking of thinking.... How soon before they can graft on more brains ?
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