AAPS PharmSciTech. 2026 Mar 17;27(3):147. doi: 10.1208/s12249-026-03373-y.
ABSTRACT
Finger fractures are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, yet conventional splints for finger are often poorly fitted, uncomfortable, and incapable of providing localized therapeutic support, which can delay healing and increase complications. This study presents a computed tomography (CT)-guided, patient-specific 3D-printed finger splint incorporating a bilayer electrospun nanofiber coating mat for localized dual delivery of hydrocortisone (HCT) and ibuprofen (IBU), providing concurrent anti-inflammatory and analgesic therapy through two distinct mechanisms. CT data were segmented to generate customized splint geometries, which were fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) to produce a rigid polylactic acid outer shell and stereolithography (SLA) to create a flexible inner layer. The inner surface was sequentially coated with IBU-loaded polycaprolactone nanofibers then HCT-loaded pullulan. Comprehensive characterization by SEM, FTIR, DSC, and XRD confirmed smooth, bead-free PCL nanofibers, strong adhesion to the microtextured SLA surface, and amorphous dispersion of both drugs with entrapment efficiencies above 90%. In vitro release studies demonstrated rapid HCT liberation of 79.68 ± 0.17% within 2 h, and IBU release of 51.75 ± 4.35% within 24 h. Ex vivo porcine skin permeation studies showed significantly enhanced drug delivery compared with pure drug controls, with cumulative permeation values of 155.52 ± 19.97 µg/cm2 for ibuprofen and 74.38 ± 2.18 µg/cm2 for hydrocortisone at 24 h. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of CT-based personalized finger splints that integrate structural support with localized multidrug delivery, highlighting a promising platform for next generation, patient-tailored fracture management.
PMID:41845109 | DOI:10.1208/s12249-026-03373-y