Jul 6 2010
Researchers of the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology (ILT) have developed a new method to make porous bone implants with degradable materials. The researchers use the laser melting technology to make the bone implants.
The degradable implants will serve as an alternative to titanium implants, and are meant to substitute the missing bone pieces until the fissure gets closed. The closing of fissures may take several months or years, depending on the health and age of the patient, as well as the defect size.
The implant is permeated with small precise channels at a few hundred micrometers interval. A lattice structure is created by these porous canals so that the flanking bones can grow into the structure. The rigidity and healing process of the bone is ensured by the stored granules of the tricalcium phosphate.
The innovative structure and material has been developed because of the manufacturing process formulated at ILT. The manufacturing process was developed for the development of Selective Laser Melting. This technology involves usage of a razor-thin laser beam for melting the pulverized material in layers to convert it into 80 - 100 µm sized structures.