Design and Fabrication of a Thin-Walled Free-Form Scaffold on the Basis of Medical Image Data and a 3D Printed Template: Its Potential Use in Bile Duct Regeneration.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing, combined with medical imaging technologies, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has shown a great potential in patient-specific tissue regeneration. Here, we successfully fabricated an ultrathin tubular free-form structure with a wall thickness of several tens of micrometers that is capable of providing sufficient mechanical flexibility. Such a thin geometry cannot easily be achieved by 3D printing alone; therefore, it was realized through a serial combination of processes, including the 3D printing of a sacrificial template, the dip coating of the biomaterial, and the removal of the inner template. We demonstrated the feasibility of this novel tissue engineering construct by conducting bile duct surgery on rabbits. Moving from a rational design based on MRI data to a successful surgical procedure for reconstruction, we confirmed that the presented method of fabricating scaffolds has the potential for use in customized bile duct regeneration. In addition to the specific application presented here, the developed process and scaffold are expected to have universal applicability in other soft-tissue engineering fields, particularly those involving vascular, airway, and abdominal tubular tissues.
Micro/Nano Scale Manufacturing R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology , Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-910, Korea.
Suk-Hee
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5515-8660
SH
Park
Bo-Kyeong
BK
Kang
Micro/Nano Scale Manufacturing R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology , Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-910, Korea.
Ji Eun
JE
Lee
Micro/Nano Scale Manufacturing R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology , Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-910, Korea.
Seung Woo
SW
Chun
Kiseok
K
Jang
Youn Hwan
YH
Kim
Mi Ae
MA
Jeong
Yohan
Y
Kim
Kyojin
K
Kang
Micro/Nano Scale Manufacturing R&D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology , Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-910, Korea.
Nak Kyu
NK
Lee
Dongho
D
Choi
Han Joon
HJ
Kim
D000818:Animals; D001652:Bile Ducts; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D011817:Rabbits; D012038:Regeneration; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
3D printing; bile duct reconstruction; customized scaffold; dip coating; medical imaging