Long-Term Evaluation of Bone Healing Monitoring Using an Instrumented Plate with Measurement Sensors (Smart Implant)
Arndt P Schulz1,2,3, Birgitt Kowald1, Matthias Münch1,3
1Center for Clinical Research, BG Klinikum Hamburg, Bergedorfer Str. 10, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
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A total of 66 smart implants were included. As a measure of bony stability, the relative elastic compliance of the osteosynthesis was determined from the gradient between the applied external load and the measured implant load over the entire healing process. The healing process of non-unions of the femur with a smart implant was tracked by telemetric measurements over a timespan of up to 10 years. The measurements of the longest healing process show a very slow but constant decrease in force transmission over the implant, radiological findings over 10 years show corresponding consolidation until bony healing. The use of a telemetrically instrumented bone plate, a so-called smart implant, to monitor the healing process is a successful procedure to support the clinician in his decision to take further surgical measures or to wait until healing occurs.
