3D Printing of Implants Composed of Nanjing Tamasudare‐Inspired Flexible Shape Transformers

Abstract Minimizing damage during the insertion of stents or other medical devices is critical for rapid and successful recovery. Since the delivery passages are often narrower than the size of the delivered object, a high deformability of the implanted devices is paramount to achieve a smooth insertion into the target tissue. In this study, a novel design of 3D‐printable and highly deformable structures inspired by Nanjing Tamasudare is proposed. These structures rapidly change dimensionality from flat to linear, elongated shapes. A series of single units that each comprises two interconnected rods and attaching loops are directly 3D‐printed without classical assembly or fabrication. Multiple units are connected together but remain individually movable and deformable. The smooth changes of the unit assembly, including shifting, bending, and inclination, allow to transform the structure from an initially condensed state to various types of target shapes. To verify the transformation capabilities, smooth insertion of the 3D‐printed structure in a mock‐up vessel through a small opening in an elongated state is demonstrated. After insertion, the units are reassembled to a stent‐like structure within the vessel. The authors believe that this 3D‐printable and highly transformable design is widely applicable for insertion operations of implantable devices or electronics.