Intelligente Implantate für das Monitoring der Knochenheilung [Intelligent implants for monitoring of bone healing]

Background: Monitoring of fracture healing is a complex problem. Radiographs solely enable the estimation of calcification. Telemetric determination of bone healing: A telemetric system to mechanically assess bone healing was developed. The system consists of an electronic unit applied to a locked plate, an external reader and a ground sensor to measure externally applied loads. By correlating the externally applied load and deformation in the implant, the elasticity of the osteosynthesis is calculated. Elasticity decreases with ongoing consolidation of a fracture or nonunion and is appropriate to monitor the course of bone healing. Clinical application: Clinical application was performed in 56 patients suffering nonunions or a fracture of the femur; in 47 cases treatment was completed. In 46 of 47 patients, consolidation was achieved. Different types of healing curves could be differentiated (fast healing, slow healing, plateau with following fast healing, nonhealing). Conclusion: The system proved to be valuable for the judgement of bone healing in difficult healing situations. Routine cost-effective manufacturing is possible, because the used electronic components are derived from mass products. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Schlagworte

Bone fracture

Fracture healing

Intelligent implant

Nonunion

Telemetry

DDC Class

600: Technik

610: Medizin

620: Ingenieurwissenschaften

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Intelligente Implantate für das Monitoring der Knochenheilung [Intelligent implants for monitoring of bone healing]