New coating for hip implants could prevent premature failure

A group of chemical engineers from MIT have developed a new coating for artificial hip or knee prosthesis. This finding will minimize the need for early replacement surgery, a procedure needed for people who receive total joint replacement. This procedure often causes serious complications for older patients-tremendous secondary tissue loss and chronic pain.

The new coating help the implants last longer and better adhere with the bone preventing any infection or failure. The coating consists of a thin film (100 nanometers to 1 micron thick) made up from layers of materials that help encourage a rapid growth of bone, such as hydroxyapatite. This material attracts mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow and provides an interface for the formation of new bone, while the other layer releases a growth factor, which encourages mesenchymal stem cells to transform into bone-producing cells called osteoblasts. These cells generate new bone to fill in the spaces around the implant creating a stronger bone and lowering the risk of infection. Using the method of layer-by-layer assembly, researched controlled the right thickness of the material and the amount of the growth factor needed  

The team has tested the coating in animal studies and the results showed rapid bone formation, securing the implants in place. In addition, the coating could be used for fixation plates and screws used to set bone fractures. It can also be used for dental implants and help heal fractures.

I chose this article because I am very interested in implants. It is amazing how such research affect people’s lives. It is very hard for patient, especially the elderly ones, to go for another operation after receiving a joint replacement. Hopefully, this new coating will be applied and make the patient’s life much easier.

"New coating for hip implants could prevent premature failure." Biotech Week 9 May 2012: 1039. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

Document URL
http://go.galegroup.com.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA289001598&v=2.1&u=txshracd2898&it=r&p=HRCA&sw=w