LAUSR

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) especially using CAD-directed laser or electron beam melting (EBM) of metal or pre-alloyed powder beds is able to produce complex, porous mesh or foam biomedical devices. Engineered pore structures are able to accommodate bone stiffness and load-bearing stress levels especially for hip rod or stem implants. It is also possible to optimise attachment by bone ingrowth and even render implants ‘living’ bone support scaffolds by the infusion of collagen-based hydrogel matrices containing necessary cell types and a variety of transcription and signalling molecules or surgically extracted (femoral) trabecular matter for angiogenic and osteogenic induction. The proliferation of AM technologies in the U.S.A., China and India, including the installation of EBM systems for patient-specific porous implant fabrication in hospitals, especially in China, is discussed along with related clinical trials.