The first successful human-to-human organ transplant was performed in 1954 in Boston, USA. Doctors transplanted a kidney from one identical twin to another. This case is one of the key milestones in the history of surgery. The background of this operation is an ideal topic for a medicine essay, which you can either prepare yourself or ask for help from a paper writer, who will help to set the accents better and choose the right style.
Human-to-human organ transplantation is still one of the most complicated surgical procedures, and it is not only the complexity of the operation itself. The fact that many organs, such as for example the heart, can be transplanted only from a dead donor. At the same time, the recipient must be entirely suitable for blood type and a dozen other indicators. Also, there are many ethical and legal problems, so medical researchers have been developing and researching the possibility of growing individual organs for transplantation and printing them on special bio-printers for many years.
History of 3D Printing in Medicine
Synthetic implants that replace parts of damaged organs are a standard practice in surgery. A person can transplant a heart valve or replace joints, but many organs in the human body are elastic, and the immune system works so that it tries to reject foreign tissue. In addition, many organs are very complex, and technology cannot recreate their functions completely. The start was developing growing human cells to cover implants with them and prevent rejection.
The first serious success in transplanting 3D printer organs was in 1999. Doctors at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine created the first artificial bladder. The organ was printed on a 3D printer to create synthetic skeletons. The bladder was then coated with the patient’s cells and successfully operated on. Just ten years later, Organovo introduced the first commercial 3d printer, which could be purchased by hospitals and laboratories to conduct research on realistic models of organs and improve transplantation skills. Over time, the technology improved, and 3D printing capabilities began to be utilized to create functional tissues and organs.
3D Bioprinting Technology
Bioprinting technology was made possible by advances in other medical technologies, particularly MRI. Printing an organ begins with an accurate scan of the patient’s machine. This makes it possible to obtain exceptional data on all the necessary parameters of the organ. After that, a 3D model is created based on the scans, and a programmable printer prints the organ. This is done with special hydrogel-based bio-inks that contain the patient’s cells. After printing, the organ is placed in a complex bio cultivator that provokes cell growth on the printed sample and provides a simulation of the real organ functionality.
Examples of Successful Research and Practice
We already know of successful examples of creating functional organs with complex functions.
For example, researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) have created miniature kidneys that have been transplanted into laboratory animals.
At the Cincinnati Institute, an artificial trachea was created and successfully transplanted into a patient. Bio-ink containing chondrocytes and cartilage cells from the patient’s cartilage was used to create a part of the damaged organ.
Equally promising was the achievement of Israeli scientists. In 2019, researchers from Tel Aviv University printed the first complete heart from a patient’s cells. This heart included cells, blood vessels, and stomach chambers. Although the printed heart is only the size of a rabbit’s heart, this is a huge breakthrough in science, as previously, scientists have not been able to recreate complex heart tissues and vessels using 3D bioprinting.
In 2020, researchers at the University of Minnesota also contributed to developing 3D bioprinting. The lab was able to print functional blood vessels to create complex organs. An equally important breakthrough was the creation of artificial skin for treating burns, successfully tested in clinical settings.
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Advantages of 3D Organ Printing
Donor shortage
Many patients never wait for a transplant and die. The ability to print organs could completely solve this problem.
Rejection problems
Bioprinted organs have a genetic profile that perfectly matches the patient’s. This minimizes the risk of rejection, and patients do not always have to take immunosuppressors.
Reduced cost of transplants
Not having to search for a donor and not having to undergo expensive therapy while waiting for surgery and in the postoperative period will significantly reduce the cost.
Finding new treatment options
The ability to create full-fledged organs will allow for the research of drugs and techniques for the treatment of diseases that are now considered incurable, including due to the inability to conduct research more effectively.
Limitations and Challenges for 3D Bioprinting
Scientists’ biggest challenge in bioprinting is maintaining circulatory function in the printed organs. Another problem in this direction is that bio-inks cannot yet ensure long-term cell life. Scientists are working on new bio-ink formulations that better mimic the natural extracellular matrix and support tissue growth.
Many ethical and legal issues will also have to be addressed. The main concerns are whether these technologies will be available to everyone and the real cost. In addition, many institutes and laboratories are now engaged in research in this area, and different scientists are coming up with similar solutions and developing similar technologies. Because of this, there may be a serious problem with patenting technologies in the future.
Conclusion
Now, with the help of 3D bioprinting, doctors are conducting many operations for partial restoration of human organs. So far, practical successes have been achieved in the field of skin and cartilage transplantation. With more complex organs, development and research continue, and we all hope that scientists will soon be able to please everyone with new discoveries.
