Product name
Bone Cotton Wool - A New Implant Material for Bone RegenerationSummary
Fully synthetic alternative bone substitute material combining a biodegradable material and amorphous tricalcium phosphateOrganization name
ETH ZurichProfile
Today, most of the surgical operations to repair fractures and bone defects are performed using autografts and allografts despite their limitations in terms of availability, donor-site morbidity, and potential negative immune responses. This has triggered research to find fully synthetic alternative bone substitute materials.
Ceramics such as hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate, but also biodegradable polymers such as poly(lacticco- glycolic) acid (PLGA) are more and more applied for bone repair and regeneration creating a growing market for such synthetic implants. However, currently used materials have their limitations, beeing brittleness, difficult shaping or constricted bioactivity.
Invention
It has been shown that the combination of both a ceramic and a polymer within one material results in composites, which have the ductility of a polymer and the bioactivity of the calcium phosphate phase.
The invention of Bone Cotton Wool relates to the preparation of a new and advanced implant material consisting of a biodegradable polymer such as PLGA with up to 40 wt% of amorphous tricalcium phosphate (ATCP) nanoparticles incorporated into the polymer. These ATCP nanoparticles can be solely prepared by a dry, one step preparation method called flame spray synthesis (IP of ETH Zurich).
The new composite is prepared by electrospinning, a technique which produces open structured, ultrafine fibers. The resulting Bone Cotton Wool is very flexible and easy to shape due to its cotton wool-like appearance. The high reactivity of the ATCP nanoparticles within the new implant material gave rise to most promising results on in vitro biomineralization.
Currently the new implant material is tested in vivo in an animal model.
Field of Application
- Bone regeneration, especially in dental applications such as:
Sinus lift, periodontal regeneration, socket preservation - Other non-load bearing indications in orthopedic surgery
Main Advantages
- Improved bioactivity compared to current materials
- Apatite deposition after 48 hours
- Easy to apply: flexible, elastic, and compressible
- Bone Cotton Wool is removable if misplaced
- Fully synthetic material
Contact
ETH Zurich
Corina Schütt
corina.schuett(at)sl.ethz.ch
About ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich is a science and technology university with an outstanding research record. ETH Zurich is the study, research and work place of 18,000 people from 80 nations. About 350 professors in 16 departments teach mainly in the engineering sciences and architecture, system-oriented sciences, mathematics and natural sciences areas and carry out research that is highly valued worldwide. As an internationally oriented institution of higher education and a nationally grounded one this forward-looking task is fulfilled in service to the Swiss nation. Twenty-one Nobel Laureates are connected with ETH Zurich. Maintaining and developing its top standing in the international competition among top universities is an important task of ETH Zurich.
Description File
ETH_Transfer_2.pdf
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