Bones identical to natural ones
Expert: we have developed implants that help to "grow" a new bone
The meeting of the International Scientific Council of NUST MISIS, held recently at the university, brought together the world's leading materials scientists. One of the members of the council – Professor of the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology of the Israeli Institute of Technology "Technion" Elazar Gutmanas – told RIA Novosti about how materials and devices based on them are created that can simultaneously be a replacement for human bone, a framework for ingrowing bone tissue, a fixing device capable of carrying a load (instead of gypsum) and a container for the gradual release of anti-infective or anti-tumor drugs. He also expressed his opinion on what is needed for young Russian scientists to be integrated into world science.
– Elazar, you are developing high-tech materials that have a whole set of different functions. What are they called and what are they for?
– We are working in several directions. I will focus on the development of bioresorbable nanocomposites capable of carrying the load. What does "bioresorbable" mean? Such a material should in a few months, having fulfilled its function, completely dissolve in the body, and natural / natural tissue will take its place.
Nanocomposites are understood as multicomponent material. In our case, we are trying to imitate natural bone: 70 or more volume percent is bioresorbable nanostructured apatite – the basis of bone, and as a plastic ligament ("glue") instead of collagen, we use a bioresorbable nanostructured polymer or metal. The nanostructure not only imitates bone, but also provides high strength.
– The main directions of using durable bioresorbable
materials – replacement of human bone or stents for the cardiovascular system.
What are self-absorbing bone substitutes for?
– Modern medicine prefers not to leave foreign materials in the body, if possible, which can cause complications after a long period of time. Our designs are able not only to carry the load, saving the patient from fixation and repeated surgery to remove it, but also contribute to rapid healing with gradual replacement of the implant with natural bone tissue. This is necessary for a patient with a bone destroyed as a result of an accident or during a tumor process.
The patient is implanted with a scaffold (porous frame) made of our material, in which blood vessels gradually germinate, supplying nutrition for bone growth.
The goal is to get a natural bone in place of this frame in a few months.
– That is, this frame has special openings for vessels?
– The scaffold frame should have a communicating system of large pores. For the ingrowth of blood vessels, the pore size should be in the range of 50-400 microns.
In addition, in the structure of the frame during its manufacture, we leave 4-5% nanopores with a size of less than 0.1 microns. We fill these pores in a vacuum with antibiotics or anti-tumor drugs. Drugs come out of nanopores slowly, providing treatment – it's like local chemotherapy.
We developed the technology for producing high–strength nanostructured materials about 30 years ago - this is the consolidation of nanostructured powders at high pressures (up to 3 GPa or 30,000 atmospheres) and room temperature (we called the method "cold sintering"). With this approach, the nanostructure is preserved, providing high strength.
– And you don't work with iron implants?
– In the last two years, we have been actively developing durable bioresorbable nanostructured materials and iron-based scaffolds. There is quite a lot of iron in our body. The problem of iron–based bioresorbable materials is a very low rate of degradation in the body. The nanostructure and additives of silver and iron oxide nanoparticles significantly increase the rate of iron dissolution, creating nanogalvanic vapors.
I would like to note that iron oxide nanoparticles have magnetic properties, they are used in the treatment of cancerous tumors: they try to attach anti-tumor drug molecules to them and use a magnetic field to deliver them to the tumor. In addition, if iron oxide particles are heated by a magnetic field near the tumor, cancer cells are destroyed already at a temperature of 41-43 ° C, while ordinary cells survive at a temperature of 45-47 ° C. This method of treatment is called "hyperthermia".
– Do you participate in joint projects with NUST MISIS?
– We are cooperating with NUST MISIS scientists on the topic "Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis". Our goal is to use the energy of a chemical reaction to manufacture products from materials with a high melting point without using high–temperature furnaces. On the topic of durable bioresorbable nanocomposites, we cooperate with Professor S. G. Psakhye (Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk).
– How do you assess the federal support program for universities "5-100"? From your point of view, is there any progress in the attempts of Russian science to gain lost positions?
– The "5-100" program undoubtedly helps to advance science in Russia forward. It seems to me that the future success of Russian science lies in the education and growth of young scientists and their integration into the world scientific community. To do this, it is necessary to send the best graduate students and young scientists to the leading universities and research institutes of the world. It can also be joint work or projects with scientists of NUST MISIS, something that will allow young scientists to work on the latest equipment, establish close contacts with foreign scientists and become a replacement for the older generation of scientists. In addition, joint articles will play a positive role in improving the rating. I am ready to help find scientific supervisors at Technion and other leading universities for 40-50 students from Of Russia.
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