Mobile Bioprinter Could Be Used To Print Patients’ Skin Directly Onto Wounds
Tuesday, March 12, 2019 IST
In the future, recovering from severe burns or road rash may be as simple as having bi-layered skin printed on by a mobile bioprinter. The scenario has already been proven plausible, thanks to scientists from Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM).
The bedside bioprinter is capable of printing out brand new skin for large wounds and burns. All the machine requires are cells from the wounded patient. The printing system is the first-of-its-kind in the world.
“The unique aspect of this technology is the mobility of the system and the ability to provide on-site management of extensive wounds by scanning and measuring them in order to deposit the cells directly where they are needed to create skin,” said Sean Murphy, a WFIRM assistant professor and lead author.
How does it work?
Once the patient’s cells are collected, they are mixed into a hydrogel and placed into the bioprinter. Integrated imaging technology, which involves a device that scans the wound then delivers data into the software, tells the print heads which cells to deliver exactly where in the wound, layer by layer.
As GoodNewsNetwork reports, the bioprinter deposits the cells directly into the wound, replicating the skin structure. The accelerated process matches the formation of normal skin structure and function.
Now that proof-of-concept has been demonstrated, the next step is to conduct a clinical trial in humans. Currently, skin grafts are the most common treatment for severe burns and wounds. But, even this technique has its flaws. Not only are skin grafts from donors optional, but the host also risks immune rejection of the graft and the resulting scar formation.
“The technology has the potential to eliminate the need for painful skin grafts that cause further disfigurement for patients suffering from large wounds or burns,” said WFIRM Director Anthony Atala, and a co-author of the paper. “A mobile bioprinter that can provide on-site management of extensive wounds could help to accelerate the delivery of care and decrease costs for patients.”
“If you deliver the patient’s own cells, they do actively contribute to wound healing by organizing up front to start the healing process much faster,” said James Yoo, who co-authored the paper. “While there are other types of wound healing products available to treat wounds and help them close, those products do not actually contribute directly to the creation of skin.”
Survivors of fires and motor vehicle accidents aren’t the only candidates for this technology. Each year, millions of Americans suffer from large, chronic, or non-healing lesions on their skin. Furthermore, burn injuries account for 10 to 30 percent of combat casualties in conventional warfare for military personnel.
Related Topics
Related News & Articles
This survey might shock you!
Indians have a direct correlation between increasing salary and ease of falling asleep, says an ...
Recently posted . 703 views . 3 min read
The researchers examined the footprints of humans, mammoths and giant sloths in the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico.
Recently posted . 577 views . 1 min read
Straight out of the 1990s and the plot of Jurassic Park, a team of scientists have successfully created an entirely new life-form using stem cells derived from frog...
Recently posted . 769 views . 1 min read
Your daily skin care ritual and favourite looks need not be complicated. Here are some expert tips to ensure you look flawless every time yo...
Recently posted . 766 views . 1 min read
he swore to declare a new 'alleviation' spending plan to supplant President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's "advancement" financial plan that stirred up ...
Recently posted . 736 views . 2 min read
Trending News & Articles
ALMATY: Hour upon hour, day upon day, Omir Bekali and other detainees in far western China's new indoctrination camps had to disavow the...
Recently posted . 202K views . 1 min read
If you have payed attention to the belly buttons of people on the beach or the members of your family, you have probably noticed that they have different shapes and...
Recently posted . 9K views . 2 min read
In this age of terror, there might be nothing more terrifying than the thought of an attack carried out with chemical weapons. We’ve all heard the horrific ...
Recently posted . 4K views . 4 min read
Body fitness is one thing that everyone wants to maintain irrespective of age. Going to the gym and doing some great exercise always helps to maintain your body fit...
Recently posted . 4K views . 2 min read
More in Global
The lotus stem, an expensive delicacy, are abundantly available in local vegetable markets these days, after a gap of three years.
Recently posted. 745 views . 1 min read
US President Donald Trump's administration has issued a draft policy, which seeks to crack down on students overstaying in the United States (US). This policy, ...
Recently posted. 684 views . 2 min read
A news agency quoted emergency hospital officials saying at least 50 people were wounded in the explosion
Recently posted. 740 views . 0 min read
Recently posted . 929 views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 2K views . 67 min read
Recently posted . 2K views . 52 min read
A new Netflix Christmas Special titled "The First Temptation Of Christ", which shows Jesus Christ in a gay relationship and Mary as a weed-smoker, has ang...
Recently posted. 604 views . 1 min read
A verification process is also often used to filter out low-quality advertisers, such as ones that have sought to sell fake medical masks during the coronavirus pan...
Recently posted. 647 views . 1 min read