虽然是帮助治愈骨折的有效手段，但骨科植入物（作为异物）始终承担在体内产生细菌感染的风险。在这种情况下，抗生素是通常的防御，但是如果医疗设备仅仅因为制造方式就可以抵抗细菌堆积怎么办？
Inspired by the naturally repellent surface of cicada-wings, Northeastern University researchers usingOxford Performance Materials’ (OPM) 3D printed PEKK plasticare on-track for creating anti-infection orthopedic devices.
昆虫的生物呼吸
Mian Wang, Garima Bhardwaj, and Thomas J Webster’s study at Northeastern has examined the growth of common bodily bacteria on the surface of spine implants, made using OPM’s Osteofab Technology.
骨of的过程已经FDA certified since 2013。使用CT和3D扫描数据，OPM的专家可以使用专有的PEKK粉末和激光烧结过程，可以使用3D打印患者特异性模型，用于颅，面部和脊柱治疗。
With a finely-tuned surface structure, described as “nanopillars with random interpillar spacing”, Osteofab samples have been compared to industry-standard PEEK implants for efficacy. The structure mimics that found in the wings of cicadas that exhibit超疏水性。
Comparison with the industry standard
首先，Wang，Bhardwaj和Webster评估了细菌的生长S. epidermidis.虽然是正常人类菌群的细菌部分，但S. epidermidis当患者的免疫系统较低时，负责在医院被捕的感染类型。
经过5天的培养，少37％以上S. epidermidis在OPM 3D打印的PEKK表面上发现，而不是在行业标准等效上发现。
In the second experiment, Wang, Bhardwaj and Webster testedP. aeruginosathat can cause hospital-related pneumonia, and has advanced antibiotic resistance mechanisms. By comparison to its commercial counterparts, the 3D printed PEKK implant shows 28% less growth after one day of culture, and around a 50% decrease after a full 5 days of culture.
一个有希望的发现
According to findings made by Wang, Bhardwaj and Webster, “this study demonstrated for the first time, the promise that nanostructured PEKK has for numerous anti-infection orthopedic implant applications,” warranting further investigation of OPM 3D printed PEKK.
The study discussed in this article was conducted by Mian Wang, Garima Bhardwaj, and Thomas J Webster of Northeastern University, Boston, and Wenzhou Medical University, China, with 3D printed samples provided by OPM. It has been在国际纳米医学杂志上发表的开放式访问这里。
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特色图片显示了意大利蝉山的翼展。托马斯·赫尔塔赫（Thomas Hertach）的照片
