The conventional treatment for broken bones involves the use of metal pins and screws to hold the injured bones together until they can heal. Now researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have invented a putty that can be used in a 3D printer to better repair broken and fractured bones without the use of metal pins and screws.
3D Printed Bone Putty Invented at Pitt
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Engineering Professor Prashant Kumpta, Ph.D. and his team at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a type of putty material made from magnesium and iron alloys that can be 3D printed into scaffold-type structures, custom designed for the break in question. These can then be implanted at the bone fracture or break to help with the healing. The putty functions to help repair the bone, while simultaneously dissolving as the bone heals, leaving no traces of its presence.
Kumpta explained that the biggest challenge in developing the putty was creating it from ingredients and materials that would not harm the body in any way, and would actively help the healing and growth of new bone cells. The putty also had to be made in such a way that it would dissolve at the right time and not before the new bone cells had hardened.
Kumpta is also looking into using magnesium alloys to 3D print the scaffolds. As magnesium can be absorbed by the human body and already possesses similar properties to bone, he believes that it would be an ideal material to use in the healing of broken bones. Researchers have already found a way to determine the rate at which the magnesium alloy would dissolve.
The next step for the putty’s development is to get it approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Kumpta is confident this will not be a problem, as all the ingredients making up the putty are already approved by the FDA.
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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