Makerbot 3D Printed Trachea Cartilage

The trachea, a windpipe that connects the lungs and throat, is a cartilage structure that can be injured or destroyed by trauma or tumor. Where damage cannot be resolved with conventional surgery, tissue engineers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research (Manhasset, NY, affiliated with North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical) have used a 3-D printer to fabricate a cartilage prosthetic. The modified two-headed printer deposits alternating layers of polylactic acid for scaffolding and a bioink made of collagen, chondrocytes, and cell nutrients. After the structure is built up to a sufficient size, it goes into a bioreactor so the cells can continue growing. Printing a 2” long section of trachea took less than two hours (not including bioreactor time). MORE

Image Credit: Feinstein Institute and GizMag.com