Aplicaciones clínicas y biofabricación de sistemas poliméricos inyectables para la reparación de lesiones osteocondrales

Abstract

Injectable hydrogels have demonstrated to be a promising strategy for cartilage and bone tissue engineering applications, owing to their minimal invasive injection procedures, easy incorporation of cells and bioactive molecules, improved contact with the surrounding tissues and ability to match defects with complex irregular shapes, which are characteristics of osteoarthritic pathology. These unique properties make them highly suitable for treating defects which are otherwise not easily accessible without an invasive surgical procedure. In this article, it has been summarized the commercial injectable hydrogels used in clinical trials for osteochondral diseases, and their applications with 3D bioprinting, a new promising biofabrication technique for the development of scaffolds for osteochondral regeneration. However, the design of a suitable injectable hydrogel with an adequate gelation time that gathers perfect bioactive, biocompatible, biodegradable and good mechanical properties for clinical repair of damaged cartilage and bone tissue is a challenge of significant medical interest that remains to be achieved