New manual bioprinter treats severe burns by “printing” new skin directly on the wound

A team of researchers has developed a hand-held 3D printer that is designed to treat severe burns by applying new skin cells directly to the wound.

The standard treatment for burns in whichWhen the upper and lower layers of the skin are destroyed, new tissue taken from other parts of the patient’s body is transplanted. However, in case of extensive damage, such a reserve may not be enough. An alternative option is to apply a collagen scaffold, which relies on the cells surrounding the wound for healing, orlaboratory-grown skin substitutes, which can take a long time.

To solve these problems, a group of researchers fromThe University of Toronto has developed a portable device that applies precursor sheets directly to a wound regardless of its size and shape. A 3D hand-held printer uses bio-ink based on fibrin infused with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which support local tissue growth and promote the body's immune response.

Precursor sheets are applied to the body using a soft roller, which ensures even distribution even on uneven surfaces.

Tests on pigs with severe burns showedthat the device allows you to effectively apply “new skin”, which after application remains in place with minimal displacement. Areas treated in this way heal well, with less inflammation and scarring, even compared to wounds with a collagen framework.

Let us recall that recently Japanese surgeons successfullycompleted the world's first transplant of lab-grown muscle fibers into a damaged area of ​​the heart of a patient suffering from severe heart failure.

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