Printing Bones: How Surgeons Could Use Glue-Gun To Fix Fractures

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Hot Bones

Hot glue-guns coming to a surgeon near you. The hobbyist-tool inspired researchers to build a handheld 3D printer for mending bones.

• Bio-ink provides temporary grafts, promoting bone healing

• Bio-ink = calcium phosphate, collagen, and living stem cells

• Replaces need for pre-fabricated implants and secondary surgeries

Early testing reported no immune rejection or toxicity in pigs and rats. Once approved for humans, bone-guns could revolutionize battlefield and disaster response medicine. And make custom skeleton decorations.

3D-printed jumbo skeleton coming soon

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