Development and evaluation of novel bone anchors and "smart" adaptive implants for the treatment of the bone deficient skeleton

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Loss of the biomechanical integrity of the skeleton due to fracture or loss of bone tissue often leads to premature disability and leaves the patient with a reduced quality of life. The economic burden on the health care system of skeletal conditions such as osteoporosis-related fractures, osteolytic bone loss and other bone defects related to trauma, bone tumors and surgical resections is enormous. Despite considerable research efforts in implant design, augmentation methods and regenerative medicine approaches, the surgical treatment of the bone deficient skeleton remains challenging with unsatisfactionary clinical outcomes.The goal of the research described in this proposal is to develop and evaluate novel implants that i) enhance the fixation of bone screws in low quality bone and ii)"smart" adaptive implants that ensure appropriate loading of healing bone to ensure an optimal biomechanical environment for fracture repair and bone regeneration.A novel bone screw anchor based on an expandable helix, will be developed and evaluated for different areas of screw fixation in orthopaedic surgery. The helix has a matched pitch and inner diameter to the bone screw such that the bone screw can be screwed into the helix like a bolt into a nut. In addition, novel "smart" adaptive implants will be developed to optimize the load sharing between implants by combining absorbable biomaterials and metallic implant materials. Implant concepts will be developed using finite element, models and their efficacy and safety will be evaluated in human cadeveric and animal models.In summary, the proposed research will result in new innovative surgical implants that will substantially increase the success rate of fracture treatment and bone regeneration. These novel implants will be integrated into a multidisciplinary treatment strategy for an effective management and also will foster exiting interdisciplinary collaboration that reveal new opportunities to treat the bone deficient skeleton and ultimately enhance the quality of live of patients and reduce the social and economic burden of these diseases on society.