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Manufacturing of a Transdermal Patch in 3D Printing
Isabella Villota1, Paulo César Calvo1, Oscar Iván Campo1
1Biomedical Engineering Research Group-GBIO, Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, Cali 760030, Colombia.
Micromachines
|December 23, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a novel 3D-printed microneedle patch for transdermal drug delivery, offering a minimally invasive method for managing diabetes mellitus. The design ensures mechanical stability and efficient fluid flow for potential therapeutic applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus impairs glucose metabolism and insulin utilization.
- Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) offers a minimally invasive alternative to conventional methods.
- Microneedle (MN) systems integrated into patches present an innovative TDD approach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and analyze a 3D-printed microneedle transdermal patch for drug delivery.
- To evaluate the mechanical properties and fluid dynamics of the microneedle patch.
Main Methods:
- Design of a 25-microneedle patch using 3D printing (stereolithography) with biocompatible resin.
- Finite element analysis (FEA) using ANSYS for mechanical behavior assessment.
- Flow simulation to determine pressure and velocity requirements for volumetric flow.
Main Results:
- FEA revealed a Von Mises stress of 18.057 MPa, maximum deformation of 2.179×10-3, and a safety factor of 4.
- Flow simulation indicated a pressure of 1.084 Pa and fluid velocity of 4.800 m/s are needed for a volumetric flow rate of 4.447×10-5 cm³/s.
Conclusions:
- The 3D-printed microneedle patch demonstrates suitable mechanical integrity and fluid dynamics for TDD.
- The study provides critical parameters for developing advanced transdermal drug delivery devices.
