Communications of the ACM
Handheld 3D Skin Printer Demonstrates Accelerated Healing of Large, Severe Burns
A new handheld 3D printer can deposit sheets of skin to cover large burn wounds, and its bio ink can accelerate the healing process.
Credit: Daria Perevezentsev
Researchers at Canada’s University of Toronto Engineering and Sunnybrook Hospital have created a handheld three-dimensional skin printer that can accelerate healing from large burns.
The device covers wounds with a uniform sheet of biomaterial, using a bio ink of mesenchymal stroma cells that differentiate into specialized cell types to promote skin regeneration and reduce scarring.
The prototype device features a single-use microfluidic printhead to guarantee sterilization, while a soft wheel follows the printhead's track to enable better control for wider wounds.
Sunnybrook's Marc Jeschke said, "Once it's used in an operating room, I think this printer will be a game-changer in saving lives. With a device like this, it could change the entirety of how we practice burn and trauma care."
From University of Toronto Engineering News
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