SBIR Phase I: Development of High Strength Polymers for Utilization as Biodegradable Fracture Fixation Devices in Bone Repair

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）的第一阶段项目是开发高强度的可生物降解聚合物，其机械性能足以作为高承载应用中的骨折固定装置。目前大多数骨折都是用金属装置固定的，但为了防止骨萎缩，这些骨折可能需要在骨愈合后进行第二次手术以取出装置。通过使用可吸收的可生物降解装置，无需进行第二次手术。目前，商用的可生物降解装置在高负荷应用中没有足够的机械强度。先前的研究表明，一类由酪氨酸合成的可降解聚合物可能用于骨修复。第一阶段项目的目标是对这些生物材料进行结构修饰，并证明修饰后的结构具有机械性能和降解率的最佳组合。该项目的商业应用是在骨科领域。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop high strength biodegradable polymers with mechanical properties sufficient to function as fracture fixation devices in high load bearing applications. The majority of fractures today are fixed with metallic devices but to prevent bone atrophy, these may require a second surgery to remove the device after bone healing has occurred. By using resorbing biodegradable devices, the need for the second surgical procedure is eliminated. At this time, commercially available biodegradable devices do not have sufficient mechanical strength for high load bearing applications. Prior work has shown that a new class of synthetic, degradable polymers derived from tyrosine, may be useful in bone repair. The objective of this Phase I project is to structurally modify these biomaterials and demonstrate that the modified structures posses an optimal combination of mechanical properties and degradation rate.The commercial application of this project is in the area of orthopedics.