The Holy Grail of Fixation?

The promise of bio fixation – fixation that disappears after its useful life – has been an elusive target limited by osteolysis and inflammatory reactions. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyglycolic acid (PGA) implants, which both leave gaps that do not fill with bone after the burst inflammation event, have been largely abandoned by the market.

Current state of bio fixation

The catch phrase is bio integrative or bio-inspired technology, which represents the next generation in bio fixation. Excellent promise has been shown with slow controlled resorption and no adverse burst inflammation in a continuous mineral fiber reinforced implant that maintains its structural strength over the 104-week testing protocol.

Experience in foot & ankle

Using hammertoe repair as a clinical model, Martinus Richter, MD, as the senior author, showed bio-integration of the implant at one year with no adverse events with a continuous mineral fiber reinforced implant. With other implant derivations of this material, perhaps we can adios to metal for at least some of our procedures.