New Polymer Makes Customized Artificial Bones Possible

An American company has developed a new type of polymer that can be used to make a porous material that is as strong as bone but which can absorbed by the body and replaced by new bone. Scientists at Advanced Ceramic Research (ACR), have developed a technique which can produce precise replicas of whole boned or bone segments within just a few hours. The whole bone or bone segment that needs to be replaced are scanned using either computer aided tomography (CAT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in order to create a 3D computer model. This information is then fed into a computer-controlled machine, which then produces the artificial bones or segments by building up, or printing, layer upon layer of the polymer. The artificial bone is very strong - so much so that steel pins would not be needed to reinforce them. According to New Scientist magazine: "The technique could greatly improve the treatment of bad breaks." The new technique could offer surgeons an alternative to bone scaffolds or bone grafts from other parts of the body to replace shattered bones, and may even give surgeons the opportunity to save limbs in cases where the only option now would be amputation.

SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 18th June 2003.