Another first within the 3D printing industry has arrived. This time the discovery is a biologically precise windpipe. Back in May of last year doctors were able to implant a synthetic wind pipe into an infant by the name of Kaiba Gionfriddo who had issues breathing. Now Doctors in New York have surprised us again with a much more exciting discovery. They have printed out an airway with actual human cells, meaning there should be no rejection within the human body.

This discovery can be credited to Dr. Faiz Bhora of St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals and his research team. The windpipe was printed on a 3D printer using biological materials, however they still need to figure out a reliable way to implant stem cells into the windpipe so that the entire trachea can be created.

We still need to work on ways to impregnate that (The air tube) with stem cells that will reliably reproduce, said Bhora

Having said this, they have been able to do just this, and have implanted the trachea segment into a pig which is currently showing no signs of rejection. Only recently has the stem cell technology been in place within the medical community to make this possible. The hope of Dr. Bhora and his team is to very soon be able to transplants these wind pipes into a human. Every year thousands of people could use a trachea implant, but instead have to opt for Tracheotomies, where a tube is inserted through the neck, leaving the patient unable to speak, and prone to serious infection. These medical breakthroughs, with the help of 3D bioprinters will soon enable windpipe transplants which are created with 100% human cells.

Dr. Bhoraand his team hope to implant a full trachea into a human patient within the next few years.

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