A new article discusses how researchers were able to develop a 3-D printer that can print tissue- engineered cartilage implants.

Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine recently published an article that shows their new technique of using a 3-d printer to build  cartilage implants using a synthetic scaffolding intermixed with natural cartilage cells (chondrocytes).  They actually used a standard ink jet printer combined with an electrospinning machine.

While no where near being ready for use in humans, this paper shows great promised for plastic surgeons. I frequently use cartilage grafts during rhinoplasty surgery. Cartilage can also be helpful in reconstructing the external ear or in certain eyelid procedures.

In revision cases or more extensive surgery we sometimes are limited by how much cartilage is left to access. Rib can be a very good source of cartilage, but some patients don't want to add an incision over their rib cage. The ability to grow needed cartilage implants using tissue engineering and printing techniques would be invaluable in these situations.

Check out this article from mashable.com which does a great job explaining the cartilage printing technique. If you're feeling especially brave you can read the original cartilage engineering article here. Don't say I didn't warn you.