Painless Screws
Ten percent of fractures require reconstructive surgery that uses titanium plates, screws or pins to realign bones. With these orthopedic implants comes the risk of infection and chronic pain. And once a fracture heals, a second surgery is required to remove the metal parts. However, MIT engineers have developed a synthetic bone implant that would fuse with natural bone in the body during healing. Coinventor Edward Ahn took a synthetic biocompatible material called hydroxyapatite in its powder form and synthesized crystals of the material less than 150 nanometers across. Packing these tiny crystals tightly together yielded a very dense material that is as strong as metal implants, stronger than other synthetic bone now available and 30 percent cheaper to make. Unlike metal implants, the new synthetic bone is defect free, poses little risk of infection and doesn’t need to be removed. Ahn launched Angstrom Medica in Cambridge, MA, to commercialize the technology; he hopes to have its first orthopedic screws on the market in about a year.
Deep Dive
Uncategorized
Our best illustrations of 2022
Our artists’ thought-provoking, playful creations bring our stories to life, often saying more with an image than words ever could.
How CRISPR is making farmed animals bigger, stronger, and healthier
These gene-edited fish, pigs, and other animals could soon be on the menu.
The Download: the Saudi sci-fi megacity, and sleeping babies’ brains
10 Breakthrough Technologies 2023
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.