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Medical bone plates are used in orthopedic surgery to fix the fracture site or correct the deformity, and provide stable support for the bone. The following is the introduction of common materials for medical bone plates:
First, metal materials
Stainless steel
Features: Stainless steel has good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, and the price is relatively low.
Application: It is often used to make medical bone plates, especially in some occasions that require high strength but do not require particularly high biocompatibility.
Precautions: Stainless steel may have a certain risk of metal corrosion and allergy in the body, and its elastic modulus is very different from bone tissue, which may lead to stress shielding effect.
Titanium alloy
Characteristics: Titanium alloy has excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, and its elastic modulus is closer to bone tissue, which can reduce the stress shielding effect.
Application: It is one of the most commonly used metal materials in medical bone plates, especially suitable for occasions with high requirements for strength, biocompatibility and elastic modulus.
Note: Titanium alloys are expensive and in some cases may present an allergy risk.
Cobalt alloy
Properties: Cobalt alloys have extremely high corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties, but have low biological activity to tissues.
Application: Cobalt alloy may be used as a material for medical bone plates in some specific situations, such as environments requiring extremely high corrosion resistance.
Note: The price of cobalt alloy is higher, and due to its low biological activity, it may have a certain impact on the fracture healing process.
Second, bioabsorbable materials
Polylactic acid (PLA) and its derivatives
Characteristics: Polylactic acid is a bioabsorbable material that can gradually degrade and be absorbed in the body, avoiding the need for a second surgery to remove the bone plate.
Application: It is often used to make medical bone plates, especially in some occasions where the strength requirement is not particularly high, but the second operation is hoped to be avoided.
Note: The degradation rate of polylactic acid may vary from individual to individual, and its mechanical properties may not be as strong as metal materials.
Polyglycolic acid (PGA)
Characteristics: Polyglycolic acid is also a bioabsorbable material with good biocompatibility and degradation performance.
Applications: Polyglycolic acid may be used as a material for medical bone plates in specific situations where bioabsorbable materials are required and strength requirements are not particularly high.
Note: Similar to polylactic acid, the degradation rate of polyglycolic acid may vary from individual to individual, and its mechanical properties may not be as strong as metallic materials.
Third, other materials
In recent years, with the development of material science, the material selection of medical bone plates has become increasingly diversified. For example, polymer materials such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are also used as materials for medical bone plates in some cases because of their excellent biocompatibility, mechanical properties and radiation permeability. In addition, there are some composites, such as composites that combine the advantages of metals and bioabsorbable materials, are also being developed and applied.