The Trapped Doctor

Print yourself a new body part! Yes, with 3D printers entering the medical field; printing a new body part may soon be a widespread reality.  3D printers have been in use for making customized hearing aids, dental restorations, orthopedic splints, etc. The technology has also explored its application in patient care areas like prosthetic limbs, cranial implants, or orthopedic implants such as hips and knees. The demand for customized implants has been increasing due to the ability to efficiently create porous surface structures that facilitate osseointegration. Another key area requiring personalization is pediatric surgery where implants and equipment are difficult to standardize due to the size variation seen in children. An example is  – a tracheal splint to treat newborns with tracheobronchomalacia. Here the splint size can be made personalized to the child. Enabling a better cure. Another interesting application (found by engineers of RMIT, Australia) ...

  In 1600 BC Greek surgeon Galen of Pergamon used silk to suture together gladiators’ severed tendons. This is the first noted use of silk in the medical field. Since then, silk has paved its way into the healthcare industry. It has garnered special attention which can largely be attributed to its excellent material properties, affordability, and resource ability. Today, it's more than just a suture material. Silk is a protein polymer that is secreted by a variety of species such as spiders, moths, and butterflies. It has notable properties like low immunogenic response, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Additionally, studies have proven that silk supports human keratinocytes and fibroblast growth. These factors make it ideal for use in engineering artificial tissue and give it an added advantage over other biomaterials. In 1992 - technology was discovered - to convert silk fiber into liquid silk. This opened up large possibilities. The liquid silk can then be cast into mater...