- Insert litany about multiple motorcycle crashes with concomitant broken bones -
The result has been the use of titanium pins to hold various parts together and this science directly addresses that because they have invented a new type of 'screw' which is made up of materials which will bond with the bone and do not have to be removed at a later time. Removing pins doesn't hurt as much as inserting them but you won't like it. Soon perhaps that will no longer be necessary. (Science Daily: Screws that fit the body's notches)
That title falls so far short of the content of the article and here is one aspect to it.
In contrast to metal components, the ceramic screw nail integrates into the bone and does not have to be removed, since the two most used bioceramic materials -- calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite -- are very similar to bone material. This is a distinct advantage over polymer screws, which disintegrate in the body. Degradation products from polymer screws can cause inflammation. Additionally, after the disintegration of the screws, cavities can form in bones, rendering them unstable and more prone to breaking. Ceramic-based screw nails do not disintegrate, but instead bond with the bone. Ideally, they can even accelerate bone growth, says Hein.
The greatest challenge for the development team at Fraunhofer IFAM and Bremen University was attaining the maximum strength of the material, since ceramics are fairly breakable. With the help of injection molding technology, researchers pour hydroxyapatite powder into screw nail molds and heat them. Using the right process parameters delivers components with optimized stability. The procedure is particularly suited to mass production, as it is inexpensive and allows for flexible mold design. However, hydroxyapatite powder can also be used in conjunction with 3D printers, thus enabling the production of patient-specific implants.
The result has been the use of titanium pins to hold various parts together and this science directly addresses that because they have invented a new type of 'screw' which is made up of materials which will bond with the bone and do not have to be removed at a later time. Removing pins doesn't hurt as much as inserting them but you won't like it. Soon perhaps that will no longer be necessary. (Science Daily: Screws that fit the body's notches)
That title falls so far short of the content of the article and here is one aspect to it.
In contrast to metal components, the ceramic screw nail integrates into the bone and does not have to be removed, since the two most used bioceramic materials -- calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite -- are very similar to bone material. This is a distinct advantage over polymer screws, which disintegrate in the body. Degradation products from polymer screws can cause inflammation. Additionally, after the disintegration of the screws, cavities can form in bones, rendering them unstable and more prone to breaking. Ceramic-based screw nails do not disintegrate, but instead bond with the bone. Ideally, they can even accelerate bone growth, says Hein.
- Science Daily
The ceramic screw nail isn't just a better fit, it provides substantial therapeutic advantages which would have been exceptionally valuable in my own history.
Here's the beauty part, tho:
- Science Daily
The use of 3D printers in the context of surgical procedures may seen a bit Never-Never Land but allow some latitude for a few intervening years and, presto, we have prosthesis specific to the individual patient. Well.
These topics haven't led so much into sci fi extensions since they're highly sci fi already. Making a new bone in a 3D printer would have dazzled even Heinlein.
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