In this LinkedIn article, , talks about  a world-first medical breakthrough, South Korean scientists have successfully implanted a 3D-printed windpipe (trachea) into a woman who had lost part of hers to thyroid cancer surgery. The artificial trachea was created using bio-inks made from living cells — including cartilage and mucosal cells — combined with a biodegradable polymer scaffold (PCL) that provides strength while allowing new tissue to grow.
Within just six months, doctors observed healthy blood vessels forming around the implant — a sign that the patient’s body was accepting and regenerating the tissue naturally.
Even more impressive, no immunosuppressant drugs were needed since the trachea was built from the patient’s own cells.
The project was led by Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and T&R Biofab, marking a huge step forward for bioengineering and regenerative medicine. Experts believe this technology could soon lead to fully 3D-printed organs like lungs, kidneys, and hearts.
A new era of medicine is unfolding — where organs aren’t donated… they’re designed and grown.
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