Page 415 - IJB-9-2

International Journal of Bioprinting

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Design and fused deposition modeling of triply

periodic minimal surface scaffolds with channels
and hydrogel for breast reconstruction

1,3
2
Xiaolong Zhu , Feng Chen *, Hong Cao , Ling Li , Ning He , Xiaoxiao Han *
1
1
1
1
1 National Engineering Research Center for High-Efficiency Grinding, Hunan University, Changsha
410082, Hunan, China
2 Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical
School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University,
Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Related to 3D printing technology and materials)

Abstract
3D-printed scaffolds that forge a new path for regenerative medicine are widely used
in breast reconstruction due to their personalized shape and adjustable mechanical
properties. However, the elastic modulus of present breast scaffolds is significantly
higher than that of native breast tissue, leading to insufficient stimulation for cell
differentiation and tissue formation. In addition, the lack of a tissue-like environment
*Corresponding authors: results in breast scaffolds being difficult to promote cell growth. This paper presents
Feng Chen a geometrically new scaffold, featuring a triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) that
(fchen@hnu.edu.cn) ensures structural stability and multiple parallel channels that can modulate elastic
Xiaoxiao Han
(xiaoxiaohan@hnu.edu.cn) modulus as required. The geometrical parameters for TPMS and parallel channels
were optimized to obtain ideal elastic modulus and permeability through numerical
Citation: Zhu X, Chen F, Cao H, simulations. The topologically optimized scaffold integrated with two types of structures
et al.,2023, Design and fused
deposition modeling of triply was then fabricated using fused deposition modeling. Finally, the poly (ethylene
periodic minimal surface scaffolds glycol) diacrylate/gelatin methacrylate hydrogel loaded with human adipose-derived
with channels and hydrogel for stem cells was incorporated into the scaffold by perfusion and ultraviolet curing for
breast reconstruction. Int J Bioprint.
https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.685 improvement of the cell growth environment. Compressive experiments were also
performed to verify the mechanical performance of the scaffold, demonstrating high
Received: September 19, 2022
structural stability, appropriate tissue-like elastic modulus (0.2 – 0.83 MPa), and rebound
Accepted: December 2, 2022 capability (80% of the original height). In addition, the scaffold exhibited a wide energy
Published Online: February 14, 2023 absorption window, offering reliable load buffering capability. The biocompatibility
was also confirmed by cell live/dead staining assay.
Copyright: © 2023 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Keywords: Triply periodic minimal surface, Hydrogel, Scaffold, Fused deposition
License, permitting distribution, modeling, Breast reconstruction
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: Whioce 1. Introduction
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in Nowadays, breast cancer has become the most common cancer among women and its
published maps and institutional [1]
affiliations. morbidity has been increasing in recent years . Breast-conserving surgery is an effective
treatment for early-stage breast cancer, preserving as much normal breast tissue as

Volume 9 Issue 2 (2023) 407 https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.685