Hybrid Advances (Aug 2024)
Revolutionizing biomedical engineering: Extrusion-based hydroxyapatite printing for scaffold construction: A review
Abstract
Hydroxyapatite (HA) finds widespread application in the realm of bone tissue engineering, owing to its renowned bioactivity and biocompatibility, alongside an expanding cohort of researchers who are actively investigating avenues for enhancing the physical attributes and biological functionalities inherent to hydroxyapatite. In recent years, the implementation of 3D printing based on extrusion technology has brought about a transformative change in the manufacturing of biomedical scaffolds. This review explores the significant parameters governing scaffold properties, including porosity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility, with a particular emphasis on the scaffold's capacity to assist tissue regeneration, cell adhesion, and proliferation. The integration of rapid prototyping, a cutting-edge digital manufacturing technique, has facilitated the large-scale fabrication of intricate designs, exemplified by HA/PLA, HA/PCL, and HA-SA/PLA composites. These composites exhibit degradation rates reliant upon their physicochemical properties, heralding a new era in the fabrication of hard tissue structures and promising enhanced effectiveness in diverse medical applications. In addressing the limitations associated with metal implants, the review delves into the development and utilization of hydroxyapatite-metal matrix composites (MMC) like Mg-HA, Sr-HA, and Ti-HA in scaffold fabrication. The study also examines the implications of life cycle assessment (LCA) about the environmental impacts and human health considerations of these printed parts. By emphasizing the advancements in extrusion-based 3D printing, this review elucidates the transformative potential of this technology in the domain of biomedical engineering, particularly in the construction of hydroxyapatite scaffolds.
