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Additively manufactured space-filling meta-implants
H M A Kolken1, C P de Jonge1, T van der Sloten2
1Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
Acta Biomaterialia
|February 22, 2021
Summary
New meta-implants with deformable porous outer layers show promise for acetabular revision surgery. These shape-morphing implants improve initial stability and bone stimulation, addressing limitations of current treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Current orthopedic implants often fail due to poor initial stability and long-term fixation in acetabular revision surgery, especially with severe bone deficiencies.
- Patient-specific implants offer initial stability but are costly and prone to stress shielding.
- There is a critical need for advanced implant solutions that ensure stability and promote bone integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate novel meta-implants with deformable porous outer layers for improved acetabular revision surgery.
- To address the challenges of initial implant stability and long-term fixation in revision cases with significant bone loss.
- To investigate the space-filling capabilities of additively manufactured lattices for enhanced bone defect management.
Main Methods:
- Non-auxetic meta-biomaterials were designed with deformable porous outer layers using six different unit cell lattice structures.
- Pure titanium lattices (diamond, body-centered cubic, rhombic dodecahedron) were additively manufactured and tested in compression.
- Implants with maximum (MAX), functionally graded (FG), and minimum (MIN) density profiles were compressed in bone-mimicking molds simulating acetabular defects, with evaluation via load-displacement curves, micro-CT, and 3D reconstructions.
Main Results:
- Meta-implants featuring a functionally graded (FG) diamond unit cell infill demonstrated the most effective space-filling behavior.
- The deformable porous layer plastically deformed to fill simulated bone defects, enhancing initial stability.
- Required push-in forces for implantation exceeded current surgical impact forces, indicating a need for optimization.
Conclusions:
- The developed meta-implants with FG diamond infill show significant potential for improving acetabular revision surgery outcomes.
- The shape-morphing capability of these implants can restore physiological loading conditions and stimulate surrounding bone.
- Further research is necessary to optimize implant design for easier surgical implantation and enhanced space-filling performance.
