da Cunha Miguel Nuno Barbosa, Rynkevic Rita, da Silva Maria Elisabete Teixeira, Moreira da Silva Brandão André Filipe, Alves Jorge Lino, Fernandes António Augusto
Mechanical Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Mechanical Department, LAETA, INEGI, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
3D Print Addit Manuf. 2022 Oct 1;9(5):389-398. doi: 10.1089/3dp.2021.0010. Epub 2022 Oct 10.
Over the past decade, melt electrospinning writing has attracted renewed attention. When combined with three-dimensional (3D) printing capabilities, complex 3D structures can be produced, from ultrafine fibers in the absence of toxic solvents, making it particularly attractive to fabricate customized scaffolds and implants for medical applications. This research aimed to develop novel less stiff vaginal mesh implants for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair, matching the physiological biomechanics of vaginal tissues. The main objectives, to attain that goal, were: development of a melt electrospinning writing prototype, with additive manufacturing capability, to produce complex structures from micrometer scale fibers, in a direct 3D printing mode; and design and validate new concepts of biodegradable meshes/scaffolds with new geometries, for POP repair. The melt electrospinning writing prototype was built based on different modules. Biodegradable polycaprolactone was used to produce novel implants: three geometries and two fiber configurations were employed. The commercially available Restorelle (Coloplast) mesh was used as a benchmark. Printed implants were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and uniaxial tensile testing. The SEM images showed that the geometry is generally well produced; however, some minor deviations are visible due to charge interactions. The tensile test results indicated that, regardless of the geometry, the samples showed an elastic behavior for smaller displacements; aplastic behavior dominates later stages. In the physiological range of deformation, the novel meshes (80 μm fiber diameter) matched the tissue properties ( > 0.05). The Restorelle mesh was significantly stiffer than vaginal tissue ( < 0.05) and novel meshes. The precision of the various geometrical patterns and fiber diameters produced highlights the success of the designed and built prototype equipment. Results showed that the biodegradable meshes produced are biomechanically more compatible with native tissue than commercial implants.
在过去十年中，熔体静电纺丝书写技术重新引起了人们的关注。当与三维（3D）打印能力相结合时，可以在不使用有毒溶剂的情况下由超细纤维制造复杂的3D结构，这使得制造用于医疗应用的定制支架和植入物特别具有吸引力。本研究旨在开发新型的、刚度较低的阴道网片植入物，用于盆腔器官脱垂（POP）修复，以匹配阴道组织的生理生物力学特性。为实现该目标，主要目的如下：开发一种具有增材制造能力的熔体静电纺丝书写原型，以直接3D打印模式由微米级纤维制造复杂结构；设计并验证具有新几何形状的可生物降解网片/支架的新概念，用于POP修复。熔体静电纺丝书写原型基于不同模块构建。使用可生物降解的聚己内酯来制造新型植入物：采用了三种几何形状和两种纤维配置。将市售的Restorelle（康乐保）网片用作基准。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和单轴拉伸试验对打印的植入物进行分析。SEM图像显示，几何形状总体上制作良好；然而，由于电荷相互作用，可以看到一些小的偏差。拉伸试验结果表明，无论几何形状如何，样品在较小位移时表现出弹性行为；后期则以塑性行为为主。在生理变形范围内，新型网片（纤维直径80μm）与组织特性相匹配（P>0.05）。Restorelle网片比阴道组织和新型网片明显更硬（P<0.05）。所生产的各种几何图案和纤维直径的精度突出了所设计和构建的原型设备的成功。结果表明，所生产的可生物降解网片在生物力学上比商业植入物与天然组织更兼容。
