Biological evaluation of selective laser melted magnesium alloy powder.

Purpose: The current study examined magnesium alloy AZ31B specimens manufactured with Additive Manufacturing method (selective laser melting - SLM) to investigate the applicability of this technology for the production of medical devices.

Methods: Osteoblast cells and bacterial biofilm growth ability on specimen was examined and the effect of surface state on corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical and immersion methods.

Results: High survival of hFOB cells, as well as a strong tendency for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilm proliferation on the surface of the tested specimens were shown.

Effect of Scanning and Support Strategies on Relative Density of SLM-ed H13 Steel in Relation to Specimen Size.

Standard experimental research works are aimed at optimization of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) parameters in order to produce material with relative density over 99% and possibly the highest scanning speed. Typically, cuboidal specimens with arbitrarily selected dimensions are built. An optimum set of parameters, determined on such specimens, is used for building parts with variable cross-section areas.

Application of Ti6Al7Nb Alloy for the Manufacture of Biomechanical Functional Structures (BFS) for Custom-Made Bone Implants.

Unlike conventional manufacturing techniques, additive manufacturing (AM) can form objects of complex shape and geometry in an almost unrestricted manner. AM’s advantages include higher control of local process parameters and a possibility to use two or more various materials during manufacture. In this work, we applied one of AM technologies, selective laser melting, using Ti6Al7Nb alloy to produce biomedical functional structures (BFS) in the form of bone implants.

The chemical digestion of Ti6Al7Nb scaffolds produced by Selective Laser Melting reduces significantly ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilm.

In our previous work we reported the impact of hydrofluoric and nitric acid used for chemical polishing of Ti-6Al-7Nb scaffolds on decrease of the number of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm forming cells. Herein, we tested impact of the aforementioned substances on biofilm of Gram-negative microorganism, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, dangerous pathogen responsible for plethora of implant-related infections. The Ti-6Al-7Nb scaffolds were manufactured using Selective Laser Melting method.

Microbial biofilms are able to destroy hydroxyapatite in the absence of host immunity in vitro.

Purpose: It is widely thought that inflammation and osteoclastogenesis result in hydroxyapatite (HA) resorption and sequestrum formation during osseous infections, and microbial biofilm pathogens induce the inflammatory destruction of HA. We hypothesized that biofilms associated with infectious bone disease can directly resorb HA in the absence of host inflammation or osteoclastogenesis. Therefore we developed an in vitro model to test this hypothesis.

The ability of S.aureus to form biofilm on the Ti-6Al-7Nb scaffolds produced by Selective Laser Melting and subjected to the different types of surface modifications.

The Gram-positive coccus, Staphylococcus aureus, is the leading etiologic agent of limb and life-threatening biofilm-related infections in the patients following the orthopaedic implantations. The aim of the present paper is to estimate the ability of S. aureus to form biofilm on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-7Nb) scaffolds produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and subjected to the different types of surface modifications, including ultrasonic cleaning and chemical polishing.