3D ‘Bioprinting’ Could Help With Child Heart Defects and More #story

Nearly 1 out of every 100 children in the United States are born with heart defects. The effects can be devastating, requiring the child to rely on implanted devices that must be changed over time.

“Mechanical solutions don’t grow with the patient,” says Mark Skylar-Scott, PhD, a professor of bioengineering at Stanford University. “That means the patient will need multiple surgeries as they grow.”

He and his team are working on a solution that could provide those children with a better quality of life with fewer surgeries. Their idea: Using 3D “bioprinters” to craft the tissues doctors need to help a patient. #shorts #heart #birthdefects #3dprinting