Probably not quite for your average printer, yet, but the concept’s now been proven.
What’s not clear to me is what they did to ensure that the implant isn’t rejected by the body, or did they not need to for this?
http://news.yahoo.com/doctors-save-ohio-boy-printing-airway-tube-210701707.html
2 ways to make sure that that material is rejected, material dissolved/encourages tissue growth, or material is ignored (this implies that the tissue will scar around the material). the method chosen depends upon the design of the material, and the condition being treated.
Makes sense. I wonder if they incorporated the boy’s own stem cells to make sure his body accepted it.
This was done for a woman in Europe a couple of years ago. To the best of my knowledge she is still doing fine.