4D Printing of Shape Memory‐Based Personalized Endoluminal Medical Devices

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. np - n/a
• Main Authors: Zarek, Matt, Mansour, Nicola, Shapira, Shir, Cohn, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2017
• Subjects: 4D printing; Alloys; biomedical devices; Biomedical materials; Devices; Equipment and Supplies; Medical devices; Medical equipment; Memory devices; Personalized; personalized medicine; Polyesters - chemical synthesis; Polyesters - chemistry; Precision Medicine; Printing; Shape memory; shape‐memory polymers; Stereolithography; Surgical implants; Temperature; shape-memory polymers; biomedical devices; 4D printing; personalized medicine
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201600628

The convergence of additive manufacturing and shape‐morphing materials is promising for the advancement of personalized medical devices. The capability to transform 3D objects from one shape to another, right off the print bed, is known as 4D printing. Shape memory thermosets can be tailored to have a range of thermomechanical properties favorable to medical devices, but processing them is a challenge because they are insoluble and do not flow at any temperature. This study presents here a strategy to capitalize on a series of medical imaging modalities to construct a printable shape memory endoluminal device, exemplified by a tracheal stent. A methacrylated polycaprolactone precursor with a molecular weight of 10 000 g mol−1 is printed with a UV‐LED stereolithography printer based on anatomical data. This approach converges with the zeitgeist of personalized medicine and it is anticipated that it will broadly expand the application of shape memory‐exhibiting biomedical devices to myriad clinical indications. The 4D fabrication of a shape memory polymer endoluminal device, based on actual anatomic data and melt stereolithography 3D printing is reported. A bespoke tracheal stent demonstrates the possibilities of 3D printed shape memory materials for minimally invasive biomedical devices. This prototype stent suggests a potential step in overcoming the high failure rates associated with standard tracheal stents.