Design and development of a fibrous structure for the potential treatment of spinal cord injury using parametric modelling in Rhinoceros 3D ^®

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) consists of partial or complete damage to the organ’s functions. Injuries can be traumatic or non-traumatic. New investigations have pointed out different paths in terms of spinal cord regeneration. Among these, the use of scaffolds has grown, structures created based on biomaterials and synthetic materials, aimed at remodelling the injured area, promoting tissue growth, regenerating damaged axons, and vascularizing the affected region. This work developed a fibrous scaffold using a vertical braider to produce Maypole structures from Polyamide 6 fibres, known for their strong mechanical properties, 3D architecture, and porosity, which support cell growth. The scaffold structures were evaluated based on porosity, mechanical strength, and dimensional stability under compression. Among the tested models, the T2/A8B40/E16B50 structure demonstrated superior performance, withstanding a tensile strength of 1,674 N, surpassing other samples. Its external layer of 16 yarns (0.50 mm) and internal layer of 0.40 mm yarns provided greater rigidity and load-bearing capacity. It also showed high elastic recovery (96.47%) after 10 compression cycles, maintaining excellent recovery despite its high load capacity. With 50.7% porosity and 49.3% coverage, the T2/A8B40/E16B50 scaffold balanced mechanical strength with permeability, making it the most promising candidate for SCI treatment and future implant testing.