Breakthrough in 3D Printing, Flexible Patch Developed to Repair Damaged Tissues

Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new method for 3D printing materials that closely mimic the strength and flexibility of human tissues. This innovative method, called Continuous-curing after Light Exposure Aided by Redox initiation (CLEAR), promises to revolutionize the field of biomaterials, offering new hope for patients with damaged cardiac and cartilage tissues.

The newly developed 3D print method enables the creation of materials that combine flexibility to withstand the heart’s constant beating, toughness to endure joint pressures, and adaptability to meet specific patient needs. The team behind this innovation envisions its application in advanced biomaterials such as drug-infused heart bandages, cartilage patches, and needleless sutures.

“Cardiac and cartilage tissues are similar in that they have very limited capacity to repair themselves. When they’re damaged, there is no turning back. By developing new, more resilient materials to enhance that repair process, we can have a big impact on patients,” explained Jason Burdick, the senior author of the study.

Traditional 3D printers construct objects layer by layer using various materials, including living cells. While hydrogels are a popular choice for making artificial tissues, standard 3D-printed hydrogels often lack the necessary strength and flexibility for medical applications. Burdick highlighted the inadequacy of such materials by saying, “Imagine if you had a rigid plastic adhered to your heart. It wouldn’t deform as your heart beats. It would just fracture.”

The new 3D printing process developed by Burdick and his team creates robust, flexible materials that can adhere to moist tissue. CLEAR works by intertwining long molecules within the 3D-printed materials, inspired by the intricate entanglement found in worms.

The durability of the newly created materials was tested through rigorous stretching and weight-bearing experiments, including an unconventional procedure where a bicycle was rolled over the sample. The results were remarkable, showing that the materials were significantly tougher than those produced by standard 3D printing methods. Moreover, these materials demonstrated excellent compatibility and adhesion to animal tissues and organs.

“We can now 3D print adhesive materials that are strong enough to mechanically support tissue. We have never been able to do that before,” said Matt Davidson, co-first author and a research associate in the Burdick Lab.