Korean researchers create bone-healing gun, offers faster treatment

Korean researchers at Sungkyunkwan University have developed a handheld “bone-healing gun,” a 3D-printing device that extrudes biodegradable polymer scaffolds directly onto fractured bones to accelerate healing. Unlike traditional metal grafts and titanium implants, which are costly and difficult to customize, this device uses a biocompatible filament made from a blend of polycaprolactone and hydroxyapatite. This material melts at a safe 60 °C, allowing it to bond securely to bone tissue without damaging surrounding areas, while providing strength comparable to natural bone and gradually degrading as new bone grows. Early animal trials on rabbits with femur fractures showed that the bone-healing gun significantly sped up recovery compared to standard bone cement. However, the slow degradation rate of the scaffold material limited full fracture restoration, indicating the need for further improvements before human trials. The researchers aim to enhance the material’s biodegradation speed and incorporate antibiotics to release infection-fighting drugs during healing. Additional challenges include ensuring