Jornal de ciência e engenharia de tecidos

Recent Development in Finite Element Methods and Computer Aided Design in the Development of Porous Scaffolds-A Review

Abstract

Sahai N, Tewari RP

Tissue engineering the development of functional substitute to replace missing or malfunctioning human tissue and organs by using biodegradable biomaterials as scaffolds to direct specific cell types to organize into three dimensional structures and perform differentiated function of targeted tissue. The important factors to be considered in designing of microstructure were porosity, pore size, and pore structure with respect to nutrient supply for transplanted and regenerated cells. Performance of various functions of the tissue structure depends on porous scaffold microstructures with specific porosity, pore size, characteristics that influence the behavior of the incorporated cells. Finite element Methods (FEM) and Computer Aided Design (CAD) combines with manufacturing technologies such as Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) helpful to allow virtual design, characterization and production of porous scaffold optimized for tissue replacement with appropriate pore size. Finite Element Modeling used to calculate the stress areas in a complex scaffold structures and thus predict their mechanical behavior during in vivo environment (eg. As load bearing in bone tissue scaffolds) is evaluated. This article reviews recent development and application of Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Computer Aided Design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD & CAM), and rapid prototyping (RP) technology in the development of porous tissue scaffolds.