A research team at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has developed a new bone graft technique that utilizes a modified glue gun and sticks composed of a bone mineral and biodegradable composite. When melted down, this material serves as a scaffold to encourage bone growth and performs better than traditional bone cement. Aside from that, New Atlas reports that it’s designed to make it easier and cheaper for surgeons to create customized implants in the operating room, reducing reliance on bone grafts or metal reconstruction.
“Our proposed technology offers a distinct approach by developing an in-situ printing system that enables a real-time fabrication and application of a scaffold directly at the surgical site,” said Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Jung Seung Lee. He also added, “Because the device is compact and manually operated, the surgeon can adjust the printing direction, angle, and depth during the procedure in real time.”
