Scientists with a cluster of German hospitals have organized a “virtual institute” to fabricate implants made of degradable magnesium and examine how they work in animal studies. Aluminum free, load bearing, biodegradable, magnesium alloys can be used for orthopedic implants for children. The advantage is that magnesium implants dissolve in the body and therefore a second operation in order to remove the implant is not necessary.
The research will be under the direction of Professor Regine Willumeit, head of the department at the Institute of Materials Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, and will be conducted by the partner clinics in Hamburg, Hannover and Graz. “Our centre is the worldwide leader in the development of magnesium based implant materials”, said Willumeit in the July 18 press release. “We are now searching for factors to tailor the degradation of the material in an application specific manner.”
The chemical and biological processes which occur when magnesium dissolves are partially understood by the scientists and, according to Willumeit, can be tested in the laboratory. However, he notes that magnesium behaves differently when it is installed in a body and, therefore, the materials need to be examined in animal studies—an important step towards applications in humans.
The participating institutions are the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht with the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, the Hannover Medical School and the Laura Bassi Centre of Expertise of the University of Graz in Austria.
