scholarly journals Advances and Challenges of Biodegradable Implant Materials with a Focus on Magnesium-Alloys and Bacterial Infections

Metals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rahim ◽  
Sami Ullah ◽  
Peter Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Biodegradable Implant ◽  
Implant Materials

scholarly journals Advances and Challenges of Biodegradable Implant Materials with a Focus on Magnesium-Alloys and Bacterial Infections

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran Rahim ◽  
Sami Ullah ◽  
Peter P. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bone Growth ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Bacterial Biofilm ◽  
Surgical Removal ◽  
Biodegradable Implant ◽  
Vascular Stents ◽  
Implant Materials

Medical implants made of biodegradable materials could be of advantage for temporary applications such mechanical support during bone-healing or as vascular stents to keep blood vessels open. After completion of the healing process the implant would disappear, avoiding long-term side effects or the need for surgical removal. Various corrodible metal alloys based on magnesium, iron or zinc have been proposed as sturdier and potentially less inflammatory alternative to degradable organic polymers, in particular for load-bearing applications. Despite the recent introduction of magnesium-based screws the remaining hurdles to routine clinical applications are still challenging, such as limiting mechanical material characteristics or unsuitable corrosion characteristics. Here, salient features and clinical prospects of currently investigated biodegradable implant materials are summarized with a main focus on magnesium alloys. A mechanism of action for the stimulation of bone growth due to the exertion of mechanical force by magnesium corrosion products is discussed. To explain divergent in vitro and in vivo effects of magnesium a novel model for bacterial biofilm infections is proposed which predicts crucial consequences antibacterial implant strategies.

scholarly journals Advances and Challenges of Biodegradable Implant Materials with a Focus on Magnesium-Alloys and Bacterial Infections

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran Rahim ◽  
Sami Ullah ◽  
Peter P. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bone Growth ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Bacterial Biofilm ◽  
Surgical Removal ◽  
Biodegradable Implant ◽  
Vascular Stents ◽  
Implant Materials

Medical implants made of biodegradable materials could be of advantage for temporary applications such mechanical support during bone-healing or as vascular stents to keep blood vessels open. After completion of the healing process the implant would disappear, avoiding long-term side effects or the need for surgical removal. Various corrodible metal alloys based on magnesium, iron or zinc have been proposed as sturdier and potentially less inflammatory alternative to degradable organic polymers, in particular for load-bearing applications. Despite the recent introduction of magnesium-based screws the remaining hurdles to routine clinical applications are still challenging, such as limiting mechanical material characteristics or unsuitable corrosion characteristics. Here, salient features and clinical prospects of currently investigated biodegradable implant materials are summarized with a main focus on magnesium alloys. A mechanism of action for the stimulation of bone growth due to the exertion of mechanical force by magnesium corrosion products is discussed. To explain divergent in vitro and in vivo effects of magnesium a novel model for bacterial biofilm infections is proposed which predicts crucial consequences antibacterial implant strategies.

scholarly journals Advances and Challenges of Biodegradable Implant Materials with a Focus on Magnesium-Alloys and Bacterial Infections

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran Rahim ◽  
Sami Ullah ◽  
Peter P. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bone Growth ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Bacterial Biofilm ◽  
Surgical Removal ◽  
Biodegradable Implant ◽  
Vascular Stents ◽  
Implant Materials

Medical implants made of biodegradable materials could be of advantage for temporary applications such mechanical support during bone-healing or as vascular stents to keep blood vessels open. After completion of the healing process the implant would disappear, avoiding long-term side effects or the need for surgical removal. Various corrodible metal alloys based on magnesium, iron or zinc have been proposed as sturdier and potentially less inflammatory alternative to degradable organic polymers, in particular for load-bearing applications. Despite the recent introduction of magnesium-based screws the remaining hurdles to routine clinical applications are still challenging, such as limiting mechanical material characteristics or unsuitable corrosion characteristics. Here, salient features and clinical prospects of currently investigated biodegradable implant materials are summarized with a main focus on magnesium alloys. A mechanism of action for the stimulation of bone growth due to the exertion of mechanical force by magnesium corrosion products is discussed. To explain divergent in vitro and in vivo effects of magnesium a novel model for bacterial biofilm infections is proposed which predicts crucial consequences antibacterial implant strategies.

The History, Challenges and the Future of Biodegradable Metal Implants

2010 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Witte ◽  
Amir Eliezer ◽  
S. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Surrounding Tissue ◽  
Biodegradable Implant ◽  
Corrosion Morphology ◽  
Implant Materials ◽  
Metal Implants ◽  
Corrosion Rates ◽  
The Future ◽  
Clinical Background

New interest in magnesium alloys as temporary biomaterials was reborn in the recent years. Especially metals based on physiological trace elements seem to be promising as an alternative to current biodegradable implant materials in cardiovascular and musculoskeletal applications. First clinical reports can be dated back before 1900. Magnesium alloys were used by surgeons of different clinical background in cardiovascular, neural, skin, general and musculoskeletal surgery. All patients have benefited from the treatment with magnesium alloys, although rapid corrosion caused sometimes painless subcutaneous gas cavities. These reports encouraged researchers to study and invent new magnesium alloys which aim to provide more uniform and slow corrosion rates. The most challenging part was to analyze the corrosion of implanted magnesium alloys in-vivo, since the magnesium alloys interlock with the surrounding tissue during corrosion. Therefore, the implanted samples could not be retrieved without damaging the fragile implant-tissue interface. Synchrotron-radiation based microtomography (SRµCT) was introduced as a solution to this challenge. SRµCT enables to measure non-destructively the in-vivo corrosion rates of magnesium alloys as well as their corrosion morphology. Based on these data, it was concluded that suitable magnesium implants should provide small grains, which are distributed very homogenously and should be produced with highest purity. The future of biodegradable magnesium alloys might be directed towards implant areas where high ductility, maximal tensile strength as well as high compression strength is needed and the properties of current biodegradable implant-materials are exceeded by the properties of magnesium alloys.

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