Drug Release of Antibiotics through 2-phase 3D-printed Hydrogel Structures:
Anti-inflammatory antibiotics are crucial for the treatment of open fractures and large, open wounds. Several ways to administer such medication are known, but the controlled local application at the wound area is often difficult.
A team from University Hospital Dresden now published a new approach, using the Core/Shell extrusion tool on a GeSiM BioScaffold printer BS3.1. Two different Hydrogels were printed simultaneously in a co-axial arrangement. The 2-phases Core/Shell structure features Alginate for the core-lane at a concentration of 6%, containing suspended antibiotics, different species. Alginate-Methylcellulose (ALG-MC) was used for the shell-lane; its much higher stiffness provides sufficient mechanical strength. ALG-MC was specifically developed by this team.
The researchers demonstrated the controlled release of antibiotics through the shell-lane. Material composition and geometry allow tuning of the kinematics for this process in a much wider range, compared to the conventional, membrane-based, wound plasters.
Scheme of a core/shell printed meander with suspended antibiotics in the core-lane (Courtesy of: Centre for Translational Bone, Joint and Soft Tissue Research, Technische Universität Dresden)
In the future this method offers great potential for the manufacturing of plasters, wound dressings and implants to treat bone injuries. The publication below reveals more details, e.g. the authors investigated the rheological properties of the used Hydrogels very detailed.
Akkineni, Spangenberg, et.al: Controlled and Local Delivery of Antibiotics by 3D Core/Shell Printed Hydrogel Scaffolds to Treat Soft Tissue Infections
Courtesy of: Centre for Translational Bone, Joint and Soft Tissue Research, Technische Universität Dresden
