Carbon, a leading 3D printing technology company, announced that its developmental bioabsorbable elastomer platform has demonstrated in vivo biocompatibility, with all samples designated as non-toxic and exhibiting tuneable times for full absorption.
This latest achievement points to the elastomer’s potential future development in biomedical lattice applications such as soft tissue repair, wound dressings, and nerve conduits.
Bioabsorbable Elastomer Platform
Carbon’s developmental bioabsorbable elastomer has excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and tunability. This includes an absorption rate that can be adjusted to suit a variety of potential applications, making it adaptable to a wide range of medical applications. Furthermore, current in vivo studies have shown that an implantable device requires tissue tolerance and desirable healing responses for a period of 26 weeks.
“We’re very pleased to announce that Carbon’s developmental bioabsorbable elastomer platform has demonstrated biocompatibility in vivo. These intricate structures made with Carbon Digital Light Synthesis technology may hold the key to addressing the longstanding challenge of optimizing the mechanical properties and degradation rate of an implant. It’s a milestone, and we look forward to working with interested partners to further develop applications for this resin.”
– Jason Rolland, SVP of Materials at Carbon
Applications of Bioabsorbable Elastomers
Printed bioabsorbable elastomer lattices made with Carbon DLS and resin hold great promise for future development in a wide range of biomedical solutions. These are some examples:
- Soft tissue repair: When repairing a torn or thinned tendon, such devices could improve existing collagen-based xenografts and allografts by reducing inflammatory response, increasing elasticity and directionality, and improving mechanical property consistency.
- Wound dressings: Absorbable lattice devices have the potential to promote healing while maintaining constant force across an uneven surface. They may also improve range of motion during healing while potentially reducing the need for frequent dressing changes and the pain associated with them.
- Nerve conduits: The peripheral nervous system can be injured in a variety of ways, with severe injuries necessitating surgery by a neurosurgeon. Carbon’s bioabsorbable elastomer has the potential to improve on existing solutions by improving flexibility, porosity, neuro inductivity, and neuro conductivity.
- Space-filling application: In soft tissue surgery, it is preferable to fill the space left vacant after the removal of a mass and allow for natural tissue ingrowth to minimise deformities.
- Temporary mechanical support: Absorbable lattice “cushions” could be used in a variety of surgeries where tissue tension or compression must be maintained post-surgery to reduce leakage or bleeding or to keep soft tissues in place during healing.
To learn more about novel bioabsorbable implants with elastomeric properties, download the whitepaper here.
