Abstract
Surgical meshes have been widely employed since the start of 900s for the treatment of pathological conditions, including hernia and pelvic floor dysfunctions, wound healing and breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Up to now, commercial meshes are mainly made of polypropylene (PP), with their use often associated with several side effects such as infections and pain, which in most of the cases lead to mesh removal. Moreover, stress shielding related to the employment of stiffer meshes must not be underestimated due to the subsequent erosion of the surrounding tissue that eventually could result in the device explantation. Considering these issues, new material-based strategies should be implemented to design and develop mesh implants with better biomechanical properties and antibacterial potential. Additive manufacturing (AM), and particularly extrusion-based 3D printing, can be a powerful tool to produce safer surgical meshes, guaranteeing customisation of the final product and to allow a direct inclusion of antibacterial agents in the raw material formulation.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 1 |
Publication status | Accepted - 15 Sept 2020 |
Event | 2020 UKICRS Virtual Symposium - Online Duration: 14 Oct 2020 → 14 Oct 2020 https://www.ukicrs.org/2020-virtual-symposium.html |
Conference
Conference | 2020 UKICRS Virtual Symposium |
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Period | 14/10/2020 → 14/10/2020 |
Internet address |
Keywords
- 3D Printing
- Mesh implants
- Drug Delivery
- Tissue engineering