Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 2.6
Step-wise strategy for the patient-specific treatment of an OC defect. The data obtained
from medical imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT)
is used in the design of a scaffold that is specific for the patient. Autologous cells are isolated and
expanded in vitro and encapsulated into the photopolymerizable polymer solutionwhere also growth
factors are introduced. Then, the construct (cell/scaffold) is manufactured with a rapid prototyping
technique under UV light to obtain the anatomical correct shape and size. The cellular scaffold
is dynamically conditioned in vitro with a bioreactor. The tissue engineered OC construct is then
implanted into the OC defect of the patient
[
110
] to provide gradients of soluble stimuli. The systematic approach they devel-
oped is oriented towards hepatic tissue engineering. However, it can be taken as a
reference point to employ new tools leading to a multiscale approach in TERM for
other tissues.
In the studies of Moroni et al. [
111
] and Ballyns et al. [
112
] anatomically shaped
scaffolds are produced by using the data obtained from medical imaging. In those
studies, the meniscus was chosen as a possible application, but the approach might be
used for other tissues as well. Moroni et al. [
111
] combined the computed tomogra-
phy (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of menisci with a RP method
tomanufacture 3Dfibre-deposited scaffolds. The scaffolds were in anatomical shape,
and the manufacturing technique allowed for tailoring scaffold architecture and me-
chanical properties to mimic the native meniscus. Ballyns et al. [
112
] showed the
possibility of developing engineered tissues using tissue injection moulding tech-
nique combined with computer-aided design based on the anatomic shapes obtained
via medical imaging modalities such as CT and MRI. Depending on the size of the
lesion, hydrogels could be injected with a minimally invasive operation or could be
pre-formed into anatomical shape. A step-wise strategy for the treatment of a patient
with OC defect is illustrated in Fig.
2.6
, where the data obtained from the medical
