Researchers have created a new way to make flexible bone grafts using 3D-printed materials.

The transplantation of bone tissue, known as bone grafting, typically involves allograft, which is bone from a deceased donor, or autograft, which comes from the patient’s own body.

Ramille Shah, a materials scientist from Northwestern University, along with materials engineer Adam Jakus, validated the commercialization potential of a new 3D-printable synthetic material they call “hyperelastic bone.”

The researchers foresee that the new technique will be a vast improvement over the current options, including other synthetic materials.

The National Science Foundation supported the research.

Source: National Science Foundation