🔊 Breakthrough: Scientists 3D Print Medical Implants INSIDE the Body Using Ultrasound!
A team from Caltech has developed "DISP" (Deep Tissue In Vivo Sound Printing)—a revolutionary method to 3D print hydrogels directly inside organs and tissues using ultrasound.
⚡ How It Works
Bioink Injection: A specialized liquid (polymer + crosslinkers) is injected.
Ultrasound Activation: Focused ultrasound heats lipid particles to 41.7°C, releasing crosslinkers to form solid hydrogels.
Precision Printing: Complex shapes (stars, teardrops) can be printed 4cm deep—reaching muscles, organs, and tumors.
💊 Potential Applications
Targeted Drug Delivery: Slow-release chemo hydrogels killed more cancer cells than injections in lab tests.
Tissue Repair: Printed artificial tissue accelerated healing in rabbits.
Implantable Sensors: Conductive inks (carbon nanotubes) could monitor heart rhythms.
Quote from Dr. Wei Gao (Caltech):
"Unlike light-based methods, ultrasound reaches deep tissue. This could someday mean printing bandages inside a beating heart."
🚀 Next Steps
Testing in larger animals → human trials.
AI integration for printing in moving organs (e.g., heart).
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