Modular ceramic scaffolds for individual implants | JoVE Visualize

Area of Science:

Biomaterials Engineering
Regenerative Medicine
Orthopedic Biomaterials

Background:

Current bone grafts often use autologous bone, which has limited availability and poor mechanical properties, necessitating a second surgery.
Existing monolithic scaffolds lack sufficient mechanical strength and hierarchical porosity required for optimal bone ingrowth and vascularization.
Ideal artificial bone grafts require multiscale porosity, high mechanical strength, and rapid vascularization for effective bone regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and manufacture modular ceramic arteriovenous loops (AV-loops) with hierarchical porosity to enhance bone ingrowth.
To achieve mechanical strength comparable to cortical bone and superior to existing monolithic scaffolds.
To enable patient-specific scaffold design with tunable pore characteristics for improved biological response.

Main Methods:

Bioactive building blocks (β-TCP, HAp, BCP) were prepared via injection molding (1.5-3.0 mm dimensions).
Automated pick-and-place technology assembled these blocks into complex AV-loop scaffolds, bonded with biocompatible adhesive.
Characterization included compressive strength testing of individual blocks and assembled scaffolds, and pore network analysis (hierarchical porosity).

Main Results:

Individual building blocks exhibited compressive strength of 112.4–134.5 MPa, matching cortical bone.
Modular AV-loop scaffolds achieved compressive strengths of 22.3–47.6 MPa, exceeding monolithic scaffolds and suitable for non-load-bearing applications.
Scaffolds featured a hierarchical interconnected pore network (58.8% porosity) with macropores (4.1–4.3 µm and 200–1700 µm) promoting protein absorption and vascularization.

Conclusions:

The modular building block approach successfully created ceramic AV-loop scaffolds with hierarchical porosity and adequate mechanical strength.
This method allows for patient-specific customization of pore architecture, volume, and geometry for enhanced bone regeneration.
The developed scaffolds offer a promising alternative to autologous bone grafts, potentially avoiding second surgeries and improving patient outcomes.