3D-printed 'hyperelastic bone' may help generate new bone for skull reconstruction

(Wolters Kluwer Health) Defects of the skull and facial bones can pose difficult challenges for plastic and reconstructive surgeons. A synthetic material called hyperelastic bone -- readily produced by 3D-printing -- could offer a powerful new tool for use in reconstructing skull defects, reports a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).