Innovative biomaterials for clinical applications in veterinary orthopedic and traumatology surgery

Recent developments in additive manufacturing and 3D printing have enabled the creation of 3D orthopedic structures using innovative materials. The silica-carbon-calcite scaffolds were 3D-printed, and their biological behaviors were examined in vitro in the first part of the thesis. According to the findings, carbon-based materials have excellent biocompatibility and can promote cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. This study proposes carbon as a valid candidate for constructing 3D bone scaffolds due to its exceptional biocompatibility and osteogenic properties. The 3D printing technology not only allows for the creation of 3D scaffolds with configurable architecture composed of innovative biomaterials, but it also allows for the customization of orthopedic implants for patient-specific applications in small animals. This subject is discussed in the second section of the thesis. The key aspects of 3D printing technology and 3D-printable materials have been reviewed. The most recent developments and the efficiency of 3D printing technology in developing anatomical models, patient-specific implants and instruments, and customized scaffolds for treating a range of complex orthopedic conditions in small animals have been covered. In addition, 3D printing provides the small animal orthopedic surgeon with a powerful tool to perform a patient-specific procedure with greater performance, precision, and cost-effectiveness. The thesis concluded with a presentation of a patient-specific surgery performed for correcting a complex antebrachial deformity in a dog. The computer-aided design method was used for pre-operative planning. A patient-specific guide was 3D-printed and used during the corrective osteotomy to improve the surgical precision and outcome. According to this case presentation, the convergence of computer-assisted and 3D printing technologies could be efficient for correcting canine antebrachial deformity. Further clinical trials are needed. Overall, 3D printing is emerging as a therapeutic technique that can improve various aspects of small animal orthopedics by rendering 3D patient-specific items composed of biomaterials.