Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Bioelectric Analyses of an Osseointegrated Intelligent Implant Design System for Amputees
Published on: July 15, 2009
[Osseontegration of trial implants of carbon fiber reinforced plastics]
U Schreiner1, M Schwarz, G Scheller
1Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Mannheim. Ute Schreiner@ortho.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Problem:
To what extent are carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) suitable as an osseous integration surface for implants?
Method:
CFRP test implants having a plexus-structured, rhombus-structured, and plexus-structured, hydroxyapatite surface were implanted in the femura of mini-plgs. Exposure time lasted 12 weeks. The implants were subjected to a macroradiological, a histological-histomorphometrical, and a fluorescence-microscopical evaluation.
Results:
One half of the uncoated, plexus-structured implants were not osteointegrated, the other half displayed an osteointegration rate of 11.8% in the spongy area and 29.8% in the cortex layer. The HA-coated test implants showed an osteointegration of 29.5% in the spongiosa and 56.8% in the cortex layer. The rhombus-structured test implants had an osteointegration of 29.2% (spongiosa) and 46.2% (cortex layer).
Conclusion:
Compared to the osteointegration of metallic, especially titanium surfaces the CFRP surfaces tested by us fared worse, especially the uncoated, plexus-structured surfaces. For this reason we view very critically the use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastics together with the surfaces tested by us as osteointegrating surfaces.
