I-Corps: Treating Bone Trauma Using a Biodegradable Bone Fixation Device

Award ID: 2024076

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the improvement of bone trauma treatment outcomes through patient-specific biodegradable bone fixation devices. Current modalities of treating patients with bone trauma rely on the use of permanent and stiff bone fixation devices that carry substantial risks and increase the suffering of patients and the total operation cost. The new biodegradable (nonpermanent) devices have superior design and properties that, if adopted, may address these problems and result in a significant clinical breakthrough. No other technology with advantages similar to these has been identified in the US or the global market. The global targeted craniomaxillofacial fixation market is estimated to reach a value of USD $1,500 million by the end of 2020. In addition, the market size of biodegradable bone graft materials in North America only is expected to exceed $690 million by 2020. This I-Corps project is focused on the development of nonpermanent bone fixation devices made of a patent-pending biodegradable magnesium-based alloy with properties achieved using novel post-fabrication processes. Based on preliminary in-vitro studies, these devices are expected to be both strong enough to bear loads then lose strength and fully resorb following bone healing. It is hypothesized that the team's fixation devices will transfer enough compressive stresses to the healing bone to facilitate continuous bone remodeling. A preliminary proof-of-concept through a series of in vitro studies was successfully achieved. In addition, the biocompatibility of the alloy before and after the post-fabrication processes was assured. The success in developing nonpermanent fixation devices is expected to result in reduced post-surgery complications, reduced overall hospital stays and costs, and elimination of the need for a second surgery for implant removal. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman