3D printing is being a good formula to offer an economical and more democratic alternative to those people or animals that require orthopedic prostheses. In Siberia a kitten has been able to enjoy a second chance thanks to this technology.
The animal, a stray gray pussycat, was found in the town of Novosibirsk in a near-frozen state and taken to a local veterinarian. He determined that, due to the seriousness of his situation, he had no choice but to amputate all four of his legs, his tail and even his ears in order to save his life.
However, Dr. Sergei Gorshkov did not leave the cat to her fate after the operation. He was collaborating with engineers and scientists so that the feline could have a support to walk. Thus, together, they have been able to provide him with transdermal osseointegrated titanium legs made with 3D printing so that he can walk again.
The gray kitten, whom they named Dymka, took a while to get used to her new accessories. At first it was difficult for her to move, but little by little she would have ‘mastered the technique’ and now she is again a curious and playful pussy. Although the cat obviously cannot scratch furniture or the sofa, she can walk, jump and play almost normally.
A technique that changes everything
3D printing has revolutionized the world of veterinary medicine, becoming an inexpensive method for animals of all kinds that have suffered accidents or illnesses and have suffered the amputation of any of their limbs, to be able to walk or move on their own again.
The most complex part would be the design, to adapt it to the specific needs of each animal according to the deficiencies that it presents. As for the printing phase, anyone with a 3D printer at home can achieve prosthetics. However, there may be differences due to the materials they use. A printer for domestic use is not the same as an industrial one, capable of ‘printing’ even houses in a few hours.
Thanks to 3D printing, human organs or tissues have even been created. A team of researchers from the Carlos III University of Madrid, the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research, the Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital (Spain), together with the BioDan Group firm, has developed a 3D bioprinter prototype that can create skin fully functional human.
The artificial skin would have its own epidermis or outer layer and a deeper and thicker one made of fibroblasts that produce collagen. This skin can be used for testing chemical, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products.
Other researchers have gone one step further. Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) have managed to work with a hydrogel, an aqueous gel composed of sugars or proteins on a collagen matrix, which can harden or soften depending on the temperature that is applied to it. apply. Thus, this compound can be used perfectly to create biological replicas of veins, hearts and even brains.
