SHATTERED bones could soon be replaced by segments of artificial bone that can be “printed” within hours. The artificial bone is strong enough to bear weight, and would slowly be replaced by new bone.
The technique could greatly improve the treatment of bad breaks, preventing patients ending up with shorter limbs after reconstructive surgery and perhaps even saving limbs in cases where doctors might now opt for amputation.
At the moment, reconstructing crushed or severely damaged bones is a painstaking process. To bridge gaps, surgeons use scaffolds made of biocompatible materials and bone grafts taken from elsewhere in the body,…
