3D Titanium Hips Less Painful & Last Longer

titanium-hips-3d-printedTraditionally when an individual suffers from a damaged or weakened hip, a metal replacement takes the place of their impaired femur to provide the needed strength. Though durable, the implants are very rigid, resulting in a reduction of stress on the surrounding bones which causes them to weaken and deteriorate.

Over time, this can cause pain for the patient and the eventual need for a second replacement surgery. To prevent this, Damiano Pasini, a mechanical engineering professor at McGill University, has created a 3D printed hip made from titanium, which not only takes the place of the old femur, but promotes use in the surrounding bones.

Pasini’s new method prints the new femur with a hollowed-out tetrahedra design. The implant closely resembles the qualities of actual bone, mimicking the cellular structure of the surrounding femur and tricking the nearby bones into staying alive.

Though this new this replacement technique is not the most advanced of 3D bone implants on the market today it offers various benefits over the current process. Furthermore the new implants don’t require any changes to be made to the current implant surgery process, quickening the ability to bring this product to market.

Old medical processes are continually being improved as new technology, similar to the new 3D printed femur, are created to solve patient issues. Eclipse Automation offers cutting edge technology, along with a wide range of capabilities for the health sciences industry, in order to provide you with a more complete turnkey solution.

Source: Engadget