Robotic in situ 3D bio-printing technology for repairing large segmental bone defects

Abstract

The traditional clinical treatment of long segmental bone defects usually requires multiple operations and depends on donor availability. The 3D bio-printing technology constitutes a great potential therapeutic tool for such an injury. However, in situ 3D bio-printing remains a major challenge. In this study, we report the repair of long segmental bone defects by in situ 3D bio-printing using a robotic manipulator 3D printer in a swine model. We systematically optimized bio-ink gelation under physiological conditions to achieve desirable mechanical properties suitable for bone regeneration, and a D-H kinematic model was used to improve printing accuracy to 0.5 mm. These technical improvements allowed the repair of long segmental defects generated on the right tibia of pigs using 3D bio-printing within 12 min. The 3D bio-printing group showed improved treatment effects after 3 months. These findings indicated that robotic in situ 3D bio-printing is promising for direct clinical application.