3D-printed long-acting 5-fluorouracil implant to prevent conjunctival fibrosis in glaucoma.

Objectives: To develop a sustained release 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) implant by three-dimensional (3D) printing to effectively prevent conjunctival fibrosis after glaucoma surgery.

Methods: 3D-printed implants composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan (CS) were fabricated by heat extrusion technology and loaded with 1% 5-FU. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the surface morphology.

The manufacturing of 3D-printed microfluidic chips to analyse the effect upon particle size during the synthesis of lipid nanoparticles.

Objectives: The process of 3D printing to produce microfluidic chips is becoming commonplace, due to its quality, versatility and newfound availability. In this study, a UV liquid crystal display (LCD) printer has been implemented to produce a progression of microfluidic chips for the purpose of liposomal synthesis. The emphasis of this research is to test the limitations of UV LCD printing in terms of resolution and print speed optimisation for the production of microfluidic chips.

Innovative "Diamond Shaped" 3D Printed Microfluidic Devices for Lysozyme-Loaded Liposomes.

Nanotechnology applications have emerged as one of the most actively researched areas in recent years. As a result, substantial study into nanoparticulate lipidic systems and liposomes (LPs) has been conducted. Regardless of the advantages, various challenges involving traditional manufacturing processes have hampered their expansion.

3D printing in Ophthalmology: From medical implants to personalised medicine.

3D printing was invented thirty years ago. However, its application in healthcare became prominent only in recent years to provide solutions for drug delivery and clinical challenges, and is constantly evolving. This cost-efficient technique utilises biocompatible materials and is used to develop model implants to provide a greater understanding of human anatomy and diseases, and can be used for organ transplants, surgical planning and for the manufacturing of advanced drug delivery systems.

Stereolithography 3D printed implants: A preliminary investigation as potential local drug delivery systems to the ear.

The current study is a preliminary investigation on the use of stereolithography 3D printing technology in the field of personalized medicines and specifically for delivering drugs locally, which can for example usefully be applied to ear infections. The main aim is the development of drug-loaded implants for the treatment of ear diseases, to improve patient compliance and to overcome the limitations of current delivery approaches. Multiple prototypes of implant geometries have been created and printed using a flexible resin containing 0.

3D bioprinted scaffolds for diabetic wound-healing applications.

The treatment strategy required for the effective healing of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a complex process that is requiring several combined therapeutic approaches. As a result, there is a significant clinical and economic burden associated in treating DFU. Furthermore, these treatments are often unsuccessful, commonly resulting in lower-limb amputation.

Melt-extrusion 3D printing of resorbable levofloxacin-loaded meshes: Emerging strategy for urogynaecological applications.

Current surgical strategies for the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunctions involve the placement of a polypropylene mesh into the pelvic cavity. However, polypropylene meshes have proven to have inadequate mechanical properties and have been associated to the arising of severe complications, such as infections. Furthermore, currently employed manufacturing strategies are unable to produce compliant and customisable devices.

Optimization of Printing Parameters for Digital Light Processing 3D Printing of Hollow Microneedle Arrays.

3D printing is an emerging technology aiming towards personalized drug delivery, among many other applications. Microneedles (MN) are a viable method for transdermal drug delivery that is becoming more popular for delivery through the skin. However, there is a need for a faster fabrication process with potential for easily exploring different geometries of MNs.

Fused deposition modelling 3D printing proof-of-concept study for personalised inner ear therapy.

Objectives: There is a requirement within ear therapeutics for a delivery system capable of safely delivering controlled doses to the inner ear. However, the anatomy and sensitivity of the inner ear make current delivery systems problematic and often ineffective. Therefore, a new delivery system is required to overcome these issues and provide a more efficacious system in the treatment of inner ear disease.

Optimization of FDM 3D printing process parameters to produce haemodialysis curcumin-loaded vascular grafts.

3D printing has provided a new prospective in the manufacturing of personalized medical implants, including fistulas for haemodialysis (HD). In the current study, an optimized fused modelling deposition (FDM) 3D printing method has been validated, for the first time, to obtain cylindrical shaped fistulas. Printing parameters were evaluated for the manufacturing of fistulas using blank and 0.

3D Printing: an appealing technology for the manufacturing of solid oral dosage forms.

Objectives: The traditional manufacturing methods of solid oral dosage forms (SODFs) are reported to be time-consuming, highly expensive and not tailored to the patient's needs. Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is an innovative emerging technology that can help to overcome these issues. The aim of this review is to describe the most employed 3DP technologies, materials and the state of the art on 3DP SODFs.

Manufacturing of 3D-Printed Microfluidic Devices for the Synthesis of Drug-Loaded Liposomal Formulations.

Microfluidic technique has emerged as a promising tool for the production of stable and monodispersed nanoparticles (NPs). In particular, this work focuses on liposome production by microfluidics and on factors involved in determining liposome characteristics. Traditional fabrication techniques for microfluidic devices suffer from several disadvantages, such as multistep processing and expensive facilities.

Thermally reactive N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) amphiphiles for drug solubilisation.

Thermally active polymers, can respond structurally to temperature changes, making them interesting as potential drug delivery vehicles. Polymers of N-(3-aminopropyl) methacrylamide hydrochloride (APMA) are cationic with primary amine groups in their structure, which have been explored in biomedical applications via post-polymerisation modifications. In this work, we synthesised amphiphilic APMA monomers using hydrophobic pendant groups via conjugation onto their primary amine group.

Antimicrobial 3D Printed Objects in the Fight Against Pandemics.

The uncharted nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty globally, resulting in many health care professionals and key-workers being left with supply shortages in medical consumables and personal protective equipment, exacerbated by supply line issues and in some cases delays resulting from governmental policies. 3D printing (3DP) has played an important role in providing essential items to hospitals and the wider communities, such as visors, face masks, and ventilator components. This short-review article covers the potential of antimicrobial materials in the manufacturing of 3DP essential products, as an approach for added protection against pandemics.

3D printed estradiol-eluting urogynecological mesh implants: Influence of material and mesh geometry on their mechanical properties.

Current treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) involves transvaginal implantation of surgical mesh, conventionally made of polypropylene (PP). However, it has recently become apparent that the mechanical properties of PP are unsuitable, resulting in serious complications such as tissue erosion. In this study, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was chosen as an alternative material, and hormone-loaded meshes were produced by fused deposition modelling (FDM).

3D Printing of Pharmaceuticals and Drug Delivery Devices.

The process of 3D printing (3DP) was patented in 1986; however, the research in the field of 3DP did not become popular until the last decade. There has been an increasing research into the areas of 3DP for medical applications for fabricating prosthetics, bioprinting and pharmaceutics. This novel method allows the manufacture of dosage forms on demand, with modifications in the geometry and size resulting in changes to the release and dosage behaviour of the product.

Fused Deposition Modeling as an Effective Tool for Anti-Infective Dialysis Catheter Fabrication.

Catheter-associated infections are a common complication that occurs in dialysis patients. Current strategies to prevent infection include catheter coatings containing heparin, pyrogallol, or silver nanoparticles, which all have an increased risk of causing resistance in bacteria. Therefore, a novel approach for manufacture, such as the use of additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is required.