Invention:
This invention describes composite filaments for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, and the methods of their production. This novel blends of filaments have better properties for 3D printing bone scaffolds with improved degradation kinetics and functionalities.
Background:
Due to an aging global population, the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders is increasing. Today, small volumes of bone or bone-like materials are commonly used in a variety of treatments to help heal or fuse a patient’s bones as necessary. These bone grafts are generally autografts (bone sourced from the patient’s own body), or allografts (bone from another person’s body). Each type of graft has its own issues: taking bone from elsewhere in a patient adds cost, complexity, and pain for the patient to the procedure, and sourcing bone from another person leads to potential for rejection by the immune system. Bespoke, patient-specific bone scaffolds that can be made on demand are being developed to circumvent these issues, through methods such as electrospinning and various types of 3D printing. Currently, most filaments available for purchase for use in fused deposition modeling-type 3D printers consist of a single type of material, which limits their chemical and mechanical properties. This invention are filaments composed of different materials with different properties, allowing the creation of 3D printed objects such as bone scaffolds with more tunable properties and more functionality, which can be used to satisfy the demand for bone grafts in an era of increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal disease.
Applications:
- Implantable bone scaffolds
- For healing bone defects
- For fusion of bones
Advantages:
- Patient specific and available on demand via 3D printing
- Better mechanical and chemical properties than products produced with single-material filaments
- No extra surgery necessary and reduced chance of rejecting the implant
