Nanofibers to the Rescue for Total Joint Replacement

We don't need to repeat the saga of replacing my shoulder but that happened and it's precisely the target for a new form of protection against post-surgical biological attack.  (Science Daily:  Nanofiber coating prevents infections of prosthetic joints)

A titanium implant (blue) without a nanofiber coating in the femur of a mouse. Bacteria are shown in red and responding immune cells in yellow.

Credit: Lloyd Miller/Johns Hopkins Medicine

- Science Daily

It's not really clear how much medical value the image delivers but the fact remains a titanium device is driven into one bone to implant it and the other end becomes the 'ball' in the 'socket' of the joint.  It's then vulnerable to bacterial attack and necrotization of the bone (i.e. death) is a huge concern in such surgeries.  The reason for replacement of my shoulder was advanced necrotization due to previous injury and it got so far because of the blazing incompetence of my doctor in Rhode Island.

No, I did not sue him and we don't need editorials on incompetence but rather the purpose is to marvel at exceptional medicine since these nanofibers apparently can serve as effective prophylactic measures to prevent failure during the recovery.

A report on the study, published online the week of Oct. 24 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was conducted on the rodents' knee joints, but, the researchers say, the technology would have "broad applicability" in the use of orthopaedic prostheses, such as hip and knee total joint replacements, as well pacemakers, stents and other implantable medical devices.  In contrast to other coatings in development, the researchers report the new material can release multiple antibiotics in a strategically timed way for an optimal effect.

- Science Daily

Shoulder surgery and related devices are not specifically mentioned but those are in the same category and this surgical candidate is highly-impressed.  I would have signed on the spot and at the dot for this one and the last surgery was only about seven years back.  The science, it's a'roarin'.