A self-driven intramedullary nail for the reconstruction of large bone defects

本项目旨在评价一种自驱动骨运输髓内钉，用于重建由创伤、畸形或癌症引起的大面积骨缺损。骨转移是一种干预，通过这种干预，新骨在缺失部分的长骨中生长。它需要分割骨的完整部分，留下一段骨，可以使用髓内钉或外环固定以受控的方式从其位置转移。外固定是英国的首选技术，原因是成本较低且缺乏其他选择，这些选择具有许多显著的局限性，包括：治疗时间延长、护理细致以及患者和护理人员的心理、卫生和日常活动负担。髓内骨运输方法也有许多局限性，包括：在牵引过程中患者的日常参与;外科医生的定期干预;以及手术的巨大成本。这些局限性导致这种方法的使用受到限制，尽管与外固定器方法相比，它具有上级效果，但解决这些局限性是本项目的主题：自动化过程和显著降低其成本可以大大促进在英国使用髓内钉作为骨运输的主要技术。在本项目中，我们将通过对绵羊的体内研究，通过实验证明髓内钉的可行性和准确性。在研究期间，我们还将与皇家国家骨科医院的患者团体进行接触。这是为了确保它被很好地接受，并且一旦临床试验完成，就可以迅速纳入NHS内的当前治疗途径。

This project aims to evaluate a self-driven bone transport nail developed to reconstruct large bone defects caused by trauma, deformity, or cancer. Bone transport is an intervention whereby new bone is grown in a long bone where there is a missing section. It requires the division of the intact portion of the bone leaving a segment of bone that can be transported from its location in a controlled manner using either an intramedullary nail or an external ring fixation. External fixation is the preferred technique in the UK due to lower cost and lack of availability of other options that has a number of significant limitations, which are: prolonged treatment time, diligent care, as well as psychological, hygiene, and daily activity burden for patients and caregivers. Intramedullary bone transport methods also have a number of limitations that include: the daily involvement of patients during the distraction process; regular interventions by surgeons; and the significant cost of the procedure. These limitations have led to limited use of this method regardless of its superior outcomes compared to the external fixator method.Addressing these limitations is the subject of this project: automating the process and significantly reducing its cost can considerably promote the use of nails in the UK as the primary technique for bone transport. In this project, we will experimentally demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the nail using an in vivo study on sheep. We will also engage with patient groups at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital during the study. This is to ensure it is well accepted and can be rapidly included in the current treatment pathway within the NHS once the clinical trials have been completed.