I-Corps: Live printing osteoconductive scaffolds

The Texas A&M University System Hsc, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the ability to have a standardized quality of craniofacial surgery by providing accuracy and flexibility, improved patient outcome & satisfaction, reduced number of surgeries and intraoperative time resulting in reduced cost of care and patient morbidity. Regeneration of the natural bone is an additive advantage over currently used fixative implants. These implants are also a source of secondary infections and fracture, such risks are mitigated with the formation of natural tissues, eliminating the need for surgical recall. The U.S. reports ~7.5 million Emergency Department visits related to craniomaxillofacial (CMF) injuries, at a cost of $55.2 billion annually. The technology proposes a fundamental shift in CMF bone reconstruction, allowing regeneration of craniofacial bone using guided 3D printed osteoconductive scaffolds. This translates to reflecting a soft tissue flap over a defect to allow a laser or image guided analyzer to study the defect volume and contours, after which a robotic extruder deposits the scaffold into the desired area. This I-Corps project addresses reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) bone defects caused by trauma, developmental anomalies or benign/malignant tumors. Our technology is transforming CMF reconstruction by 3D printing osteoconductive/inductive scaffolds directly into defects. Preliminary studies on critical-sized calvarial defects in a rat model demonstrated the regeneration of bone while preserving dural tissue. A methacrylated Gelatin-Laponite nanosilicate bio-ink was utilized to print a mesh-like scaffold for a critical-sized defect in rat calvaria. The in-situ printing in the defects helped maintain the micro-pattern stability of the scaffold and the nano-silicate particle-enhanced bone regeneration. These results indicated the possibility of overcoming the current shortcomings in osseous tissue regeneration. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.