BioPen's surgical 3D printer allows you to “print” tissue right during the operation.

Scientists from the Australian University of Wollongong have developed a new device, which may well become an indispensable tool for the surgeon. The device, BioPen, is a portable bio-printer (3D, how else), with which the doctor can print the patient's tissue, putting them on the damaged place. It does not “print” the bone, muscle or nerve tissue, no. BioPen "ink" is a mixture of stem klentok + protective polymer.

Stem cells are layer-by-layer applied to a damaged tissue site (bone, muscle, or nerve), and protected from external exposure by a layer of polymer. All this is quite complicated, but it is quite applicable under normal hospital conditions. The stem cells applied to the tissue begin to “transform” into living cells of the corresponding tissue, and after some time the damaged area is cured. The polymer, it must be understood, dissolves after the prescribed time.
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According to experts, "bio-ink" can be supplemented with various kinds of hormones, including growth hormone and some other substances.

So far, the development is not ready for widespread use, the device still needs to be tested before it enters the market. Already this week, BioPen will be admitted to clinical testing at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne. If everything goes well, you can hope for the soon appearance of a bioprinter in other hospitals, not just Australia.

Via dvice