Hey guys, I've stumbled upon these news articles documenting the new and potentially better method for internal bone fixation. By using the Silk Bio-implant, bone fixation can be done without the need for metal devices which can cause stiffness, increase the risk of infection (and other complications), and the need of removal later on.
Currently, these research & development techniques are only being tested on animals....but still, the future looks promising!
Below are some links and quote(s) from their respective articles:
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http://optimistworld.com/silk-based-surgical-implants-repair-broken-bones/"When a person suffers a broken bone, treatment calls for the surgeon to insert screws and plates to help bond the broken sections and enable the fracture to heal. Plates and screws are usually made of metal alloys. But metal devices can have disadvantages - they are stiff and unyielding, and can cause stress to underlying bone. They also pose an increased risk of infection and poor wound healing. In some cases, the metal implants must be removed following fracture healing, so requiring a second surgery. Re-absorbable fixation devices, made of synthetic polymers, avoid some of these problems but may pose a risk of inflammatory reactions and are difficult to implant. "
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http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-silk-based-surgical-implants-broken-bones.html"Unlike metal, the composition of silk protein may be similar to bone composition,"
"Silk materials are extremely robust. They maintain structural stability under very high temperatures and withstand other extreme conditions, and they can be readily sterilized."
"Having a resorbable, long-lasting plate and screw system has potentially huge applications," says Lin. While the initial aim is to use silk-based screws to treat facial injuries, which occur at a rate of several hundred thousand each year, the devices have the potential for the treatment of a variety of different types of bone fractures."
"Because the silk screws are inherently radiolucent [not seen on X-ray] it may be easier for the surgeon to see how the fracture is progressing during the post-op period, without the impediment of metal devices," adds Lin. "And having an effective system in which screws and plates 'melt away' once the fracture is healed may be of enormous benefit. We're extremely excited to continue this work in larger animal models and ultimately in human clinical trials."
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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/silk-medical-implants-show-promise-better-way-healing-215301901.html"Currently, when screws and plates are needed to set a bone, these implants are made of metal alloys. They're durable and effective, but they can also cause problems. They restrict the flexibility of the underlying bone, which can put unneeded stress on the bone when it's trying to heal. The body can react to them, causing inflammation, and there's always a risk of infection. They can interfere with X-ray views of the break, preventing doctors from properly gauging the healing process. They also need to be removed once the bone has healed, requiring a second round of surgery.
Silk, on the other hand, is a much better option, according to researchers at Harvard Tufts Universities.
"Unlike metal, the composition of silk protein may be similar to bone composition," said study co-author Samuel Lin, MD, who is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, in a statement. "Silk materials are extremely robust. They maintain structural stability under very high temperatures and withstand other extreme conditions, and they can be readily sterilized."
"One of the other big advantages of silk is that it can stabilize and deliver bioactive components, so that plates and screws made of silk could actually deliver antibiotics to prevent infection, pharmaceuticals to enhance bone regrowth and other therapeutics to support healing,"
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http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57619959-1/docs-turn-to-silkworms-to-spin-a-better-bone-implant/"Scientists from Harvard and Tufts create silk screws and plates for use in healing bone fractures. Unlike their steel counterparts, these could dissolve in the body and even be used to deliver antibiotics."
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http://www.theengineer.co.uk/silk-protein-implants-help-mend-broken-bones/1018141.article"These include stiffness that can cause stress to underlying bone, increased risk of infection and poor wound healing, plus surgery to remove implants.
Resorbable fixation devices, made of synthetic polymers, avoid some of these problems but may pose a risk of inflammatory reactions and are difficult to implant.
It is claimed the surgical plates and screws from BIDMC and Tufts have the potential to offer improved bone remodelling following injury and can be absorbed by the body over time, eliminating the need for surgical removal of the devices.
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Topic: New Bio-Medical Implants helps repair bones & eliminates need for metal implants (Read 2219 times)