Project “HA screw” allocated one million Euros – materials scientists from Bremen investigate application of bioceramic implants together with medical experts from Bonn and Giessen

Thanks to the work of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Bremen University and medical experts from Bonn and Giessen, physicians and orthopedic surgeons may be able to use bio-ceramic screws in cruciate ligament surgery in the future. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) now provided one million Euro for the joint research project "HA screw".

The researchers have set themselves the goal of replacing present screws made of titanium or polymers by bioceramic implants made of hydroxyapatite (HA). The material may be incorporated into the bone, resorbed and replaced by new bone in a given period of time after implantation. The main challenge is to achieve the necessary strength for the intended application. Therefore materials processing and injection molding technology will be developed at Fraunhofer IFAM in close cooperation with the University of Bremen, using HA powder for the first time for the production of interference screws. Injection molding is especially suitable for mass production, it has the advantage of low cost and high freedom in design. This way, also complex implants can be manufactured without any post processing. The new bone screws are tested by the University hospitals of Giessen and Bonn in preclinical studies.

Contact: Dr. Philipp Imgrund, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM
philipp.imgrund@ifam.fraunhofer.de