Mechanical properties and osteointegration of the mesh structure of a lumbar fusion cage made by 3D printing

Małgorzata Żak; Agnieszka Rusak; Piotr Kuropka; Maria Szymonowicz; Celina Pezowicz

doi:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.105762

Mechanical properties and osteointegration of the mesh structure of a lumbar fusion cage made by 3D printing

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2023 May:141:105762. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.105762. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

Authors

Małgorzata Żak¹, Agnieszka Rusak², Piotr Kuropka³, Maria Szymonowicz⁴, Celina Pezowicz⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland. Electronic address: malgorzata.a.zak@pwr.edu.pl.
² Division of Histology and Embryology, Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
³ Division of Histology and Embryology, Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland.
⁴ Pre-Clinical Research Centre, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.
⁵ Department of Mechanics, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland.

PMID: 36931002
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.105762

Abstract

The currently popular 3D printing makes it possible to produce spatial scaffolds, the main purpose of which is to obtain implants that have favourable mechanical properties to promote cell adhesion. This study aims to prove the influence of changes in selected geometrical parameters of scaffolds, used in intervertebral cages, on the mechanical properties obtained and thus on the osteointegration of the studied constructs with osteoblasts and fibroblasts. The stiffness values and maximum failure force of four modifications to geometric dimensions of the meshes were determined from the intendation test. Adhesion assays were conducted (including gentle pendulum motion) for Balb/3T3 fibroblasts and NHOst osteoblasts. The study revealed that an important geometrical parameter affecting the strength of the mesh is the height (h) of the connection point between arms of successive mesh cells. There was no significant effect of the mesh geometry on the abundance and survival of Balb/3T3 and NHOst cells. At the same time, fibroblasts were more likely to form colonies in the area where there is fusion of mesh cells, as opposed to osteoblasts that were more numerous at vertices of the mesh.

Keywords: 3D printed; Fusion cage; Mechanical properties; Osteointegration.

MeSH terms

Mechanical Phenomena
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Prostheses and Implants
Spinal Fusion*
Surgical Mesh*