New implant designs for bioresorbable devices in orthopaedic surgery

New implant designs for bioresorbable devices in orthopaedic surgery

From today's point of view it is not possible to transfer the designs of metal implants in orthopaedic surgery to biodegradable polymers. The attempt of a simple mimicry of metal implants for those made of polymers was condemned to fail from the very beginning. In this paper some fundamental li...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical materials Vol. 14; no. 3; p. 207
Main Authors: Hofmann, G O, Wagner, F D
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 1993
Subjects:
Biodegradation, Environmental
Bone Screws
Equipment Design
Humans
Materials Testing
Polyglactin 910
Polyglycolic Acid
Stress, Mechanical
Wettability
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Summary:From today's point of view it is not possible to transfer the designs of metal implants in orthopaedic surgery to biodegradable polymers. The attempt of a simple mimicry of metal implants for those made of polymers was condemned to fail from the very beginning. In this paper some fundamental limitations of implants made from biodegradable polymers (PGA and PLA) are experimentally demonstrated. Fixing devices adapted to the characteristic properties of polymers and adjusted to the specific therapeutic problems have to be developed. The creation of new implant devices made of biodegradable polymers depends on the influence of manufacturing processes, composite materials, fibre reinforcement, coating, specific erosion processes and the development of new implant designs. The basis for a new implant philosophy is discussed.
ISSN:0267-6605
DOI:10.1016/0267-6605(93)90004-Q