Design and development of the additively manufactured Zn-Li scaffolds for posterolateral lumbar fusion

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2024.06.050

J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2025, Vol. 215: 180-191.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2024.06.050

• Research Article • Previous Articles Next Articles

Design and development of the additively manufactured Zn-Li scaffolds for posterolateral lumbar fusion

Yu Qin^a,b,1, Chunhao Yu^b,1, Peng Wang^c,d,1, Hongtao Yang^e, Aobo Liu^f, Shuhan Wang^g, Zhenquan Shen^b, Senju Ma^g, Yongcan Huang^a,*, Binsheng Yu^c,d,*, Peng Wen^f,*, Yufeng Zheng^b,*

^aShenzhen Key Laboratory of Spine Surgery, Department of Spine Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen 518036, China;
^bSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
^cClinical College, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen 518036, China;
^dThe Fifth Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China;
^eSchool of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China;
^fDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
^gShenzhen Institute for Drug Control (Shenzhen Testing center of Medical Devices), Shenzhen 518057, China

Received:2024-04-29 Revised:2024-06-13 Accepted:2024-06-18 Published:2025-04-20 Online:2024-07-30
Contact: *E-mail addresses: hycpku@hotmail.com (Y. Huang), hpyubinsheng@hotmail.com (B. Yu), wenpeng@tsinghua.edu.cn (P. Wen), yfzheng@pku.edu.cn (Y. Zheng).
About author:¹These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Abstract: Spinal fusion is a commonly used technique to treat acute and chronic spinal diseases by fusion of the adjacent vertebrae, aiming at achieving stability and eliminating the mobility of the objective segment. While bone autografts and allografts have been conventionally used for spinal fusion, limitations persist in achieving optimization of both good osteoinductive capacity and mechanical stability. In this study, additively manufactured Zn-Li scaffolds were developed and evaluated for their potential in spinal fusion. First, three scaffold structures (BCC, Diamond, and Gyroid) were designed and verified in vitro. Due to the smooth transition surfaces and uniform degradation behavior, the Gyroid Zn-Li scaffold demonstrated mechanical integrity during degradation and enhanced cellular proliferation compared to the other two scaffolds. Subsequently, Zn-Li scaffolds (Gyroid) were selected for posterolateral lumbar fusion (L4/L5) in rabbits. Following 12 weeks of implantation, the Zn-Li scaffolds demonstrated a moderate biodegradation rate and satisfactory biocompatibility. Compared to bone allografts, the Zn-Li scaffolds significantly improved osseointegration adjacent to the transverse processes, which led to enhanced segmental stability of the fused vertebrae post posterolateral lumbar fusion. Overall, the results show that the biodegradable Zn-Li scaffold holds substantial potential as the next-generation graft for spinal fusion.

Key words: Zn alloy, Additive manufacturing, Spinal fusion, Biodegradable metals, Osseointegration

Yu Qin, Chunhao Yu, Peng Wang, Hongtao Yang, Aobo Liu, Shuhan Wang, Zhenquan Shen, Senju Ma, Yongcan Huang, Binsheng Yu, Peng Wen, Yufeng Zheng. Design and development of the additively manufactured Zn-Li scaffolds for posterolateral lumbar fusion[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2025, 215: 180-191.

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Design and development of the additively manufactured Zn-Li scaffolds for posterolateral lumbar fusion

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