abstract
Bioresorbable implants are being widely used for fracture fixation in orthopaedic surgery and the market is expanding rapidly worldwide. Bioresorbable materials slowly dissolve in the human body, such that a second operation to remove the synthetic material is not needed. Bioresorbable implants have expanded the armamentarium of the surgeon, especially in the field of sports medicine. Interference screws, plates, pins, suture anchors, meniscal repair implants, and simple fracture fixation implants are the most commonly used resorbable implants for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, shoulder surgery, meniscal repair, and fracture care. However, many clinicians continue to rely on metal fixation, mainly due to the high mechanical strength and to the complications reported with some of the available resorbable implant materials. The goal of the present paper is to present an overview on the available resorbable materials and their applications with a particular focus on new developments and trends in the field.
keywords
CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION; ABSORBABLE POLYGLYCOLIDE PINS; BIODEGRADABLE POLYLACTIC ACID; L-LACTIDE-SCREWS; INTERNAL-FIXATION; ANKLE FRACTURES; TISSUE-RESPONSE; RANDOMIZED-TRIAL; METALLIC SCREWS; BIOABSORBABLE IMPLANTS
subject category
Health Care Sciences & Services
authors
Pina, S; Ferreira, JMF
our authors
José Maria da Fonte Ferreira
Retired Professor
Sandra Cristina de Almeida Pina
Post-doc Fellowshipacknowledgements
Thanks are due to Centro de Investigacao de Materiais Ceramicos e Compositos for the support and to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the fellowship grant of Sandra Pina (SFRH/ BPD/64119/2009).