BioPen to rewrite orthopaedic implants surgery (Health Canal)
A handheld “bio pen” developed in the labs of the University of Wollongong will allow surgeons to repair damaged and diseased bone material by delivering live cells and growth factors directly to the site of injury, accelerating the regeneration of functional bone and cartilage.
Researchers from the UOW-headquartered Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES) have developed the prototype BioPen that will give surgeons greater control over where the materials are deposited while also reducing the time the patient is in surgery.
Delivery of stem cells and/or growth factors into the injury site is currently through injection using a biomaterial carrier.
The BioPen works similar to 3D printing methods by delivering cell material inside a biopolymer such as alginate, a seaweed extract, protected by a second, outer layer of gel material. The two layers of gel are combined in the pen head as it is extruded onto the bone surface and the surgeon “draws” with the ink to fill in the damaged bone section.
A low powered ultra-violet light source is fixed to the device, allowing for the inks t...
