3D Printing Enables Microarchitecture Required in Biomimetic Scaffolds

The science of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine aims to provide surgeons with a sustainable solution to patients undergoing reconstructive surgery.

At Osteopore, innovation is at the forefront of our minds. As we have mentioned before, a safe and effective design isn’t only necessary – rather, the device must lead to a considerable improvement in the lives of patients while simultaneously relieving pressure on medical resources.

Our 3D-printed biomimetic scaffold design imitates the interconnected pores necessary to facilitate the stages of tissue healing.

The advances in 3D printing technology presented us with a rare opportunity to bring our ideas to fruition, enabling the creation of Osteopore’s unique scaffold microarchitecture – that is the carefully designed shape, size and interconnectivity of the porous structure used to bridge the void in bone defects.

The shape and size of the structure promotes cell retention and cell proliferation while in the scaffold. This interconnectivity supports angiogenesis (the vascularisation by capillaries) that transport cells, growth factors, nutrients and ensures the necessary gas exchanges deep inside the scaffold.

To date, we are the only company to successfully commercialise this know-how, and we see it as a technological innovation that will change the medical industry – and lives – for the better.

The development of our proprietary 3D-printing technology enabled the production of the implant microarchitecture for tissue regeneration at scale, making us world leaders in this field.

Testing has confirmed that the microarchitecture developed by Osteopore balances strength and cell proliferation with consistent effectiveness.

The challenge presents itself in determining the most effective trade-off between scaffold strength and porosity. When the pores are very small, the scaffold will be very strong, but cell proliferation will be hampered, and healing negatively impacted.

The opposite is also true, larger pore size will improve porosity, but will certainly compromise structural integrity.

We have published two 10-year clinical studies which demonstrates the safety and efficacy of this effective platform technology, and over the past 12 years our quality system has been rigorously evaluated by regulatory agencies.

We are committed to continue to design, manufacture and distribute our platform technology to ensure that we remain leaders in this dynamic and promising scientific field.