Release date: 2016-07-15 I still clearly remember how painful and limited the action was after my wrist was injured 20 years ago. It was only a minor fracture. Shortly after the fixture was removed, my wrist returned to normal. However, for many people, recovery is not that easy. Sometimes, a more severe fracture requires surgery, usually involving the implantation of metal plates such as steel plates and screws to fix the bone being repaired. Once implanted, the implant will either stay in the body forever, or just wait for the bone to recover and remove it by surgery. Either way, it can cause complications such as infection or further pain. For patients, fracture repair may soon become easier due to the introduction of 3D printing. Currently, there are a large number of studies on 3D printed bones and 3D printed biocompatible implants. Among them, the latest research comes from the German chemical company Evonik. The company is currently working on biodegradable composites to replace metal implants, and the agency is based in the company's Medical Devices Project House in Birmingham, Alabama. The study is still in its early stages. Evonik hopes to eventually develop a biocompatible implant that will gradually decompose in the body as the bone heals, eliminating the need for surgical removal. “In the long run, our focus is on regenerative medicine. We want to create bioabsorbable implants to replace damaged tissue,†said Andreas Karau, head of the medical device program. “We are currently developing Biodegradable composites are the first step toward regenerative medicine." According to Karau, Evonik's polylactic acid-based polymers break down into carbon dioxide and water. Due to the molecular composition, chain length and crystallinity of the material, the decomposition time varies from a few weeks to several months. Currently, they are looking for ways to strengthen these biodegradable polymers with substances such as calcium phosphate derivatives. "As the polymer gradually decomposes, calcium and phosphate can be absorbed into the newly formed bone tissue," Karau said. In addition, the company also hopes to develop polymer scaffolds, so that live cells can be added to the scaffold to grow real cartilage. The company ultimately hopes to create biodegradable polymers that can be customized for 3D printing into implants for patients. In order to improve the biocompatibility and strength of biodegradable materials, Evonik also needs a lot of research, because the existing materials are not enough to support large load-bearing bone. Source: Bio Valley Plastic Test Tubes,Plastic Conical Tubes,Conical Bottom Plastic Tubes,Cylindrical Bottom Plastic Serological Tubes Yancheng Rongtai Labware Co.,Ltd , https://www.shtestlab.com