Lattice materials with graded mechanical properties for the development of a novel hip-replacement implant

髋关节置换术的平均寿命为15-20年，之后需要进行翻修手术。翻修手术是不受欢迎的，有问题的，而且不如一次替代手术成功。问题是目前的种植体能力不足，无法保持宿主骨的质量，因此不能充分确保修复后的种植体就位。本研究的目的是为人工全髋关节置换术开发一种新型的材料微结构，既能延长假体寿命，又能保持宿主骨的质量，并能提供稳定的假体固定。建议的材料是钛合金Ti-6Al-4V晶格；其突破性特征在于材料性能的可控梯度，其设计符合骨骼的局部性能，提供前所未有的弹性和强度性能以及卓越的疲劳、损伤和耐磨性。新的假体将加强对需要初次和翻修髋关节置换的患者的治疗，降低翻修手术的需要和相关的医疗成本；如果进行翻修手术，它将提高其成功率。

On average, hip-replacements have a life span of 15-20 years, after which revision surgery is necessary. A revision surgery is undesirable, problematic and less successful than a primary replacement. Problematic is the inadequate capacity of current implants to preserve the quality of the host bone, which thus cannot sufficiently secure the revision implant into position. The aim of this research program is to develop a novel material microstructure for a total hip arthroplasty implant which can last longer, maintain the quality of the host bone, and provide a stable implant fixation. The proposed material is a titanium alloy, Ti-6AL-4V, lattice; its groundbreaking hallmark lies in the controlled gradients of material properties which are designed to match the local properties of the bone and provide unprecedented elastic and strength properties as well as superior fatigue, damage and wear resistance. The new implant will enhance the treatment of patients requiring primary and revision hip replacement, lower the need of revision surgery and the related health care cost; in case of revision surgeries, it will increase its success rate.