BackgroundA symptomatic os acromiale can lead to impingement syndrome and rotator cuff tendinopathy. An acromion fracture is often part of a more complex scapular trauma that needs stabilisation.MethodsWe developed a new technique using a three-dimensional (3D) model and a distal clavicle reconstruction plate to treat os acromiale and acromion fractures. Our hypothesis was that such an approach would be a useful addition to the existing techniques. First, a 3D model of the acromion was printed, then an osteosynthesis plate was pre-bent to fit the exact shape and curve of the acromion. We tested this technique and present reports on five patients, three with os acromiales and two with acromial fractures. We followed these patients during their rehabilitation and evaluated them using the Constant–Murley and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores.ResultsIn every case the fracture or non-union healed. If the surgery was performed before additional damage (such as an impingement syndrome) occurred, we saw that the patient’s pain completely disappeared. This new technique also has other advantages because the surgeon can prepare the entire operation in advance, which reduces the duration of surgery. Another advantage of using a 3D model is that it can also be used to inform the patient and the surgical team about the planned operation.ConclusionThis new technique using a preoperative patient-customized plate is a good alternative for use in open reduction and internal fixation, particularly if the patient has no other conditions.

Interfacing electronics with neural tissue is crucial for understanding complex biological functions, but conventional bioelectronics consist of rigid electrodes fundamentally incompatible with living systems. The difference between static solid-state electronics and dynamic biological matter makes seamless integration of the two challenging. To address this incompatibility, we developed a method to dynamically create soft substrate-free conducting materials within the biological environment. We demonstrate in vivo electrode formation in zebrafish and leech models, using endogenous metabolites to trigger enzymatic polymerization of organic precursors within an injectable gel, thereby forming conducting polymer gels with long-range conductivity. This approach can be used to target specific biological substructures and is suitable for nerve stimulation, paving the way for fully integrated, in vivo–fabricated electronics within the nervous system.

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, non-ionizing, and inexpensive imaging modality that is used to image the conductivity distribution inside the subject under test. EIT is an emerging imaging technique that has the potential to be used in a variety of (bio)medical applications. A technology that is easy to integrate into a small portable device and also easy to setup. In this work a custom made impedance analyzer is used as a measurement device. The working principle is based on the different conductivity distributions of the material under test, this due to inhomogeneous bioelectrical properties. However there is one major downside of this technique, the reconstruction problem of EIT is severely ill-posed. This means that the definition of a correct model is essential. Because of this ill-posed condition, a comparison of different models is done. In this work, an in depth study is performed to achieve the most optimal way of solving the inverse problem, which leads to noise suppression and reproducible results. This technology, integrated in a lab-on-chip for monitoring cellular growth, is based on a spatial reconstructed imaging technique using electrical impedance tomography.