Future Innovations in Orthopedic Surgery: The 3D Printed Femur

Future of Orthopedic Surgery Through 3D Printing

According to the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), mechanical engineers have designed a 3D printed femur that could help doctors prepare for surgeries to repair bones and develop treatments for tumors.

In collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical Center orthopedic surgeons, the engineers published their study in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

The study focused on the middle section of the femur, establishing 3D printing parameters for use in biomechanical testing.

Potential Applications and Benefits

• 3D printing can produce patient-specific solutions efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Mechanical performance tests revealed that 3D printed femurs performed comparably to human femurs.
• Cost-effective: Each 3D printed femur is estimated to cost just $7.

Surgeons traditionally rely on donated cadavers or synthetic bones for studying and validating surgical techniques. However, these methods can be expensive and may not provide tailored solutions. Dr. Wei Li, a UT Dallas expert in 3D printing technology, emphasized the importance of understanding the bone's geometry for effective surgical planning.

Through iterative testing, doctoral student Kishore Mysore Nagaraja developed a 3D printed femur made from polylactic acid, a biodegradable polymer commonly used in 3D printing, which provides a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative for surgery preparation.

Collaboration Leading to Innovations

This endeavor marks a strong collaboration between engineering and medical fields, showcasing how joint efforts can lead to groundbreaking medical innovations.

The potential applications for these 3D printed bones extend beyond education and preparation. Researchers might print tumors on the bones to develop cancer treatments, or these replicas could aid in growing human bone tissue.