Development of an intraosseous transcutaneous orthopaedic implant (ITAP) resistant to bacteria infections through the combination of passive and active strategies

如果一条腿、手臂、手指或拇指必须被截肢，或者出生时就缺失了，可以安装人工替代品（称为义肢或假体）。假肢通常有一个凹槽，通过吸力或绑在缺失肢体的残肢上来固定。然而，这导致了主要的缺点，如刺激残肢或幻肢综合征。在这种情况下，骨内经皮假体（ITAP）的植入被认为是最生理性的，因此可能是成功的**方法来预防先前引起的问题。在这个过程中，金属植入物通过皮肤插入到残肢骨的中心。然后将义肢连接到金属植入物上。目的是制造一种更舒适、更安全的假肢。**不幸的是，ITAP从人体流出的地方往往是感染的部位，通过植入物周围的真皮和表皮组织的适当整合，在其周围形成一个柔软的组织密封，可以**潜在地消除感染。此外，要完全预防感染，还需要赋予假体装置杀菌性能。因此，我们的目标是提供具有两种功能特性的钛（这是我们的工业合作伙伴用于构建矫形植入物的材料），这两种功能特性都可能防止细菌定植。这些特性是1)促进皮肤细胞在**表面的粘附和扩散的能力；这是一种被动功能和2)提供表面抗菌性能；这是一个活动功能。

If a leg, arm, finger or thumb has had to be amputated, or is missing at birth, an artificial substitute (known as a**prosthetic limb or prosthesis) may be fitted. Prosthetic limbs usually have a socket and are held in place either**by suction or by being strapped to the stump of the missing limb. However, this leads to major drawbacks such**as irritation of the stump or phantom limb syndrome. In this context, the implantation of intraosseous**transcutaneous prostheses (ITAP) was described as the most physiological, and thus probably successful,**approach to prevent the previously evoked problems. In this procedure, a metal implant is inserted through the**skin and into the centre of the bone of the stump. A prosthetic limb is then attached to the metal implant. The**aim is to produce a more comfortable and securely attached prosthetic limb.**Unfortunately, the point where ITAP exits from the human body is often the site for infections which could be**potentially eliminated by proper integration of dermal and epidermal tissues around the implant, creating a soft**tissue seal around it. In addition, a complete prevention of the infection also requires endowing the prosthetic**device with bacteria-killing properties.**Accordingly, our objective is to provide titanium (which is the material used by our industrial partner to**build-up orthopaedic implants) with two functional properties that are both likely to prevent bacterial**colonization. These properties are 1) the capability of promoting skin cell adhesion and spreading on the**surface; this is a passive functionality and 2) providing the surface with antibacterial properties; this is an**active functionality.