A new material could revolutionize the management of fractures. It would be molded “to measure” which would allow better healing, without side effects. Clinical trials are getting good results.
- Researchers have discovered a new material to repair fractures
- This is custom molded, depending on the patient’s fracture
Most of the time, to treat and reduce a fracture, surgeons opt for metal plates which allow to maintain the different parts of the bone in order to consolidate it and, therefore, to repair it. Researchers have just found an alternative to this method thanks to a new material that is biocompatible, that is to say tolerated by the body. According to the study, published in the journal Advanced Functional Materialsit would be as resistant as dental composites, would adapt better to fractures while being less toxic to the body.
Better personalize the treatment with the new material…
The composition of this new material is based on a polymer – that is to say a large molecule – biocompatible. Scientists are considering its use for the most difficult to treat fractures such as the collarbone and ribs, others can be supported with a cast. The advantage of this material is that it adapts to the shape of the bone, which allows the surgeon to better personalize the treatment. Thus, the management of fractures is also more comfortable for the patient who can move the affected limb better. Indeed, the metal plates usually used are not customizable because they have predefined shapes. This often leads to complications: according to the researchers, 64% of finger fractures treated with metal plates lead to complications affecting the mobility of the limb.
…custom molded to the fracture
To remedy this problem, scientists have developed the AdhFix system, which uses this new material. The process is as follows: the surgeons first place the screws and then put the new material – still soft – on the area to be repaired. They then adjust the shape to the bone and the fracture, encompassing the screws. Once the position is validated, the material is solidified and remains permanently on the limb, just as the metal plates would. To validate their method, the researchers performed tests on the hands of fractured cadavers. Result: the material used resisted a wide range of movements and flexions of the fingers, with varying intensities of forces. And, when they tested this method on the fractured femurs of living lab rats, they had better bone healing without any adverse effects.
A possible application on humans and animals
“No fractures are alike, this is one of the absolute advantages of the material, underlines Michael Malkoch, one of the authors. The surgeon can adapt the fixation plate according to the patient’s bone shape and fracture. And the hospital won’t have to store metal plates“. Eventually, scientists are considering the use of this device in both humans and animals. The next clinical trials, scheduled for 2023 and 2024, will mainly concern hand fractures.
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