Entries by admin

Students 3D Print A Human Kidney Substitute

According to the United States Renal Data System, End-Stage Renal Disease resulted in over 90,000 deaths in 2009. Solving the problem has been difficult at best as treatment options aimed at dealing with renal disease are basically limited to organ transplantation or dialysis.

Bespoke 3D Printed Hip Replacement with Bonus Stem Cells

3D printing is becoming increasingly implemented in the operating room, with surgeons turning to the technology to create tailor-made implants for their patients. This time, surgeons at Southampton General Hospital have 3D printed a hip joint for 71-year-old Meryl Richards and have used her own stem cells to hold it in place.

Artificial Organs May Finally Get a Blood Supply

Artificial tissue has always lacked a key ingredient: blood vessels. A new 3-D printing technique seems poised to change that. Using a custom-built four-head 3-D printer and a “disappearing” ink, materials scientist Jennifer Lewisand her team created a patch of tissue containing skin cells and biological structural material interwoven with blood-vessel-like structures.Reported by the team in Advanced […]

RepRap Prints Blood Vessel Networks out of Sugar

3D printable organs are in the works, but one thing holding researchers back is the lack of a way to print reliable vascular networks within the organs. If the blood can’t flow through correctly, the printed organs will fail. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believe they have found a way to […]

Solving a Runner’s Challenge with Unprecedented Orthotics

Outdoor activities can bring a lot of enjoyment to people’s lives, and it can literally be devastating when the things we love most are no longer possible. Terry Gumbley, an active off-road runner and gardener, discovered this first hand when knee and ankle pain forced him to give up his favorite activities. Thanks to Peacocks Medical […]