Scientists in Russia Develop “Living” Implants and Artificial Blood Vessels for Patients
Tissue engineering and additive technologies are helping patients recover faster after complex surgeries.
Additive technologies are being successfully used in Russia to reconstruct bone fragments in patients after the removal of malignant tumors. At present, this is the only way to restore anatomy and recover lost functions in maxillofacial surgery. Additive manufacturing has also begun to be combined with patients’ own cells, effectively turning implants into living structures.
Scaffolds Seeded With Living Cells
According to the press service of the Clinic of Oncology, Reconstructive Surgery and Radiology at Sechenov University, the approach is based on layer-by-layer 3D printing of titanium implants that precisely match a digital model of a patient’s defect. Titanium was chosen for its strength and biocompatibility. The key innovation, however, lies in tissue engineering. The printed scaffolds are seeded with the patient’s own living cells, taken, for example, from adipose tissue or bone marrow. This enhances regeneration at the implantation site and improves integration of the artificial fragment. Over time, the implant itself becomes a framework for the growth of the patient’s own tissue.
The development is significant not only for Russia but globally, as it offers a path to full rehabilitation for people who have undergone complex surgical procedures.
Bioprinting Blood Vessels
In parallel, Sechenov University and Rosatom Nauka are working on an ambitious project to develop bioprinting technology for blood vessels. In practical terms, this involves isolating a patient’s cells, cultivating them, and applying them to a synthetic scaffold to create a viable blood vessel up to 10 centimeters long.
Bringing together academic research and the capabilities of high-tech companies such as Rosatom could enable Russia to make a major leap in regenerative medicine and position the country among the leaders in this field.
