Solid freeform fabrication of bioinductive composite implants to heal large bone defects

• Unité de recherche: INNOSUISSE
• Numéro de projet: 9170.1;5 PFLS-LS
• Titre du projet anglais: Solid freeform fabrication of bioinductive composite implants to heal large bone defects

Description succincte (Anglais)

Solid freeform fabrication of bioinductive composite implants to heal large bone defects

Description succincte (Français)

Solid freeform fabrication of bioinductive composite implants to heal large bone defects

Résumé des résultats (Abstract) (Anglais)

Bone regeneration is required in multiple clinical conditions and involves several surgical disciplines such as trauma surgery, orthopedics, spinal surgery and neurosurgery. Despite of decades of research efforts, current therapeutic options, including autologous bone grafting and protein- or cell-based therapy, do not provide satisfying solutions to the problem of large bone defects. For example, healing fails in more than 20% of all fractures alone. The microRobotic Laboratory of the University of Applied Sciences Biel has joined with the Institute of Bioengineering and the Powder Technology Laboratory of EPFL to combine their expertise and technologies in order to develop the next generation of bioactive implants, facilitating the healing of such large-scale bone defects. A new 3D solid freeform manufacturing process will be employed to produce bioinductive and biodegradable bone substitutes that are comprised of i) macroporous scaffolds that mimic the biomechanical properties of bone, and ii) soft and permissive matrices as scaffold fillers that can sequester bone morphogenetic (to stimulate bone formation) and angiogenic (to stimulate blood vessel formation) proteins in controlled fashion. A successful amalgamation of our technologies may thus offer an alternative to autologous bone grafting and ultimately new perspectives in tissue engineering of large defects.

Résumé des résultats (Abstract) (Français)

Bone regeneration is required in multiple clinical conditions and involves several surgical disciplines such as trauma surgery, orthopedics, spinal surgery and neurosurgery. Despite of decades of research efforts, current therapeutic options, including autologous bone grafting and protein- or cell-based therapy, do not provide satisfying solutions to the problem of large bone defects. For example, healing fails in more than 20% of all fractures alone. The microRobotic Laboratory of the University of Applied Sciences Biel has joined with the Institute of Bioengineering and the Powder Technology Laboratory of EPFL to combine their expertise and technologies in order to develop the next generation of bioactive implants, facilitating the healing of such large-scale bone defects. A new 3D solid freeform manufacturing process will be employed to produce bioinductive and biodegradable bone substitutes that are comprised of i) macroporous scaffolds that mimic the biomechanical properties of bone, and ii) soft and permissive matrices as scaffold fillers that can sequester bone morphogenetic (to stimulate bone formation) and angiogenic (to stimulate blood vessel formation) proteins in controlled fashion. A successful amalgamation of our technologies may thus offer an alternative to autologous bone grafting and ultimately new perspectives in tissue engineering of large defects.