I-Corps: High Lubricity Biomimetic Meniscus

这个I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发合成半月板或软骨和其他医疗器械的制造。在美国，每年进行大约一百万例膝关节置换术，预计到2025年每年增加50%。考虑到膝关节置换术的平均成本（4万美元）和手术数量的增加，仅在美国，膝关节置换手术的估计市场每年就超过400亿美元。该技术代表了第一个合成半月板。这种膝关节植入物可以提供一种安全、侵入性小、成本低且优于传统膝关节置换术和竞争技术的上级替代方案。这项技术可能适用于其他设备，如注射器和导管。 这个I-Corps项目是基于开发一种可促进润滑性的纹理聚合物表面。 该技术的灵感来自天然关节软骨的润滑机制。当载荷施加到软骨上时，软骨基质内的滑液随着流体排出而产生流体动力学排斥力。 这又将润滑模式从边界润滑状态（其中摩擦通常高）转变为流体动力润滑状态，从而导致超低摩擦（即，高润滑性）。 同样的概念可以应用在合成聚合物表面的制造中，通过明智地选择聚合物，该聚合物被设计成容纳在施加载荷时挤出的流体。 新型润滑机制可以在宽范围的剪切速度和施加的载荷下操作。这种人造软骨可以提供减震性（因为聚合物是弹性的）、在水环境中的高润滑性和低表面磨损率，这些都是有效的人造半月板置换所需的特性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a fabrication of synthetic meniscus or cartilage and other medical devices. Approximately one million knee arthroplasties are performed yearly in the United States, with an expected yearly increase of 50% by 2025. Given the average cost of knee replacements ($40,000) and the rising number of surgeries, the estimated market for knee replacement surgeries is over $40 billion per year in the US alone. The proposed technology represents the first synthetic meniscus. This meniscal implant may provide a safe, less invasive, less costly, and superior alternative to conventional knee arthroplasty and competing technologies. This technology might apply to other devices, such as syringes and catheters. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a textured polymer surface that promotes lubricity. The technology was inspired by the lubrication mechanism of natural articular cartilage. When a load is applied onto cartilage, synovial fluid within the cartilage matrix generates a hydrodynamic repulsive force as the fluid drains out. This in turn shifts the mode of lubrication from the boundary lubrication regime (where friction is typically high) to the hydrodynamic lubrication regime, resulting in ultra-low friction (i.e., high lubricity). The same concept can be applied in the fabrication of synthetic polymer surfaces by the judicious choice of the polymer engineered to hold a fluid that extrudes when a load is applied. The novel lubrication mechanism can operate over a wide range of shear velocities and applied loads. Such an artificial cartilage may offer shock absorbency (since the polymer is elastic), high lubricity in aqueous environments, and low surface wear rates, which are all desirable properties for an effective artificial meniscus replacement.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.