Tailor-made 3D Printed Meshes of Alginate-waterborne Polyurethane as Suitable Implants for Hernia Repair.

Hernia injuries are the main condition where mesh implants are needed to provide a suitable reinforcement of the damaged tissue. Mesh implants made of polypropylene (PP) are widely used for this application, however complications related to lack of flexibility, elasticity and mesh infection have been reported. The development of mesh implants from safer materials adaptable to patient necessities could suppose an alternative for conventional PP meshes. In this work, personalized mesh implants made of alginate and waterborne-polyurethane (A-WBPU) were developed using 3D printing technology. For that purpose, five waterborne polyurethane ink formulations with different amounts of alginate were developed and rheologically characterized. All ink formulations were 3D printed showing good printability, manufacturing surgical mesh implants with suitable morphological characteristics customizable to patient injury through computer-aided design (CAD) mesh model adaptation. A calcium chloride (CaCl2 ) coating was applied after 3D printing as mesh reinforcement. Mechanical analysis revealed that CaCl2 coated meshes containing 6 wt% of alginate in their formulation were the most suitable to be used as implants for small and groin hernias under physiological tensile strength value of 16 N/cm, and presenting proper elasticity to cover physiological corporal movements (42.57%). Moreover, an antibiotic-loaded A-WBPU formulation suitable for 3D printing of meshes were developed as strategy to avoid possible mesh infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.