"Polycaprolactone was chosen because it is an FDA-approved material that degrades in the body within a few months after implantation. The hydroxyapatite, on the other hand, supports bone-tissue regeneration. Lee's team experimented with various proportions of these two ingredients and finally nailed the formulation that checked all the boxes: It extruded at a relatively harmless 60° Celsius, the mix was mechanically sound, it adhered to the bone well, and it degraded over time."
"Once the bone-healing bullets were ready, the team tested them on rabbits. Rabbits with broken femurs treated with Lee's healing gun recovered faster than those treated with bone cement, which is the closest commercially available alternative. While the experiment on rabbits revealed new bone tissues forming around the implants created with the healing gun, their slow degradation of the implanted material prevented the full restoration of bone tissues."
A blend of polycaprolactone and hydroxyapatite was developed as an implantable, extrudable material that heats to about 60° Celsius, adheres to bone, is mechanically sound, and degrades over months. Polycaprolactone provides FDA-approved biodegradability while hydroxyapatite supports bone-tissue regeneration. Rabbit femur tests showed faster recovery with the healing-gun implants compared with bone cement, and new bone tissue formed around the implants. Slow material degradation limited full bone restoration. Planned improvements include adding antibiotics for sustained release and evaluating load-bearing capability and long-term safety in larger animal models. Operating precision and user skill also present challenges.
Read at Ars Technica
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