Mechanical engineers at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) have developed a 3D-printed femur to assist doctors in preparing for surgeries that repair bones and treat bone tumors. This innovation was created in collaboration with orthopedic surgeons from UT Southwestern Medical Center. The engineers published their initial study on the 3D-printed thigh bone on August 5 in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.
The research focused on the femur’s midsection and established printing parameters for biomechanical testing. However, researchers noted that further studies are necessary before this technology can be widely adopted.
Currently, surgeons use donated cadavers or synthetic bones for biomechanical studies to evaluate surgical implants and techniques. These methods help determine optimal surgical fixation and predict how real bones will respond during surgery. While synthetic bones are useful for training, they can be costly and time-consuming to obtain, and they often do not offer patient-specific solutions.
Two years ago, UT Southwestern researchers approached Dr. Wei Li, a UT Dallas expert in 3D printing, to create a more affordable and faster alternative for orthopedic studies.
“Surgeons need to know the bone’s geometry to plan surgeries,” said Li, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. He is the corresponding author of the recent study.
Doctoral student Kishore Mysore Nagaraja played a crucial role in this project, developing multiple versions of the femur through trial and error. Working in Li’s Comprehensive Advanced Manufacturing Lab, he conducted various tests to ensure the artificial bones closely mimicked the properties of real femurs.
“This collaborative experience is the best thing a student could ask for,” said Mysore Nagaraja, who is set to graduate in December. “Receiving feedback directly from the doctors who will use my research is a great validation.”
The 3D-printed bone replica is made from polylactic acid, a biodegradable polymer commonly used in 3D printing. Measuring almost 8 inches long and nearly 1 inch in diameter, the femur performed comparably to a human femur in biomechanical tests. The estimated production cost for each femur is around $7.
Li highlighted the diverse applications of 3D-printed bones. For instance, this polymer could replace traditional materials like titanium in bone repairs. Researchers might also print tumors onto these bones to test treatments or use the replicas to facilitate human bone tissue growth.
The UT Southwestern team included Dr. Robert Weinschenk, an orthopedic oncology surgeon and the study’s first author, along with Dr. Richard Samade, a hand and upper extremity surgeon. Both are assistant professors of orthopedic surgery with secondary appointments in biomedical engineering and plastic surgery.
“I reached out to Dr. Li and his team, and fortunately, this has turned into an excellent collaboration,” Weinschenk stated. “With our combined surgical and engineering expertise and Dr. Li’s knowledge in mechanical testing, our team is well-equipped to address these challenges.”
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