Putty for bones

Bone fusion in complex fractures is difficult and takes a long time, and sometimes the patient requires long-term treatment, including numerous operations and a long period of restoration of the functions of the damaged limb. With injuries sustained during military operations, all these problems are more common and more pronounced than in civilians. Perhaps that is why the competition for the development of a fundamentally new material for the treatment of bone fractures was announced by the US Agency for Advanced Defense Research (DARPA).

A program called Fracture Putty ("Putty for fractures") it involves the creation of a biodegradable material that, when applied to the fracture area, will be able to restore the bearing properties of the bone in a few days.

If the experiment is successful, Fracture Putty will allow the patient to quickly return motor functions, shorten the healing process of bone tissues and the rehabilitation period, eliminate the possibility of infection and improper bone fusion.

To do this, scientists will have to solve a number of technical issues. The future "putty" should be firmly connected to the bone in a moist biological environment, after curing it should have the same mechanical properties and microstructure as bone tissue, and after a while, when the bone fuses, decompose into harmless substances that are completely eliminated from the body.

The conference, where applicants for participation in the Fracture Putty program will be able to offer their projects, will be held on July 1 in Arlington (Virginia, USA).

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03.06.2008