Bone-growth breakthrough fuels hopes of faster healing

Published on Friday 29 February 2008 21:45

A REVOLUTIONARY material which regrows human bone and could make clumsy metal implants and painful bone grafts a thing of the past has been developed by Scots scientists.

The breakthrough could revolutionise orthopaedic surgery and osteoporosis treatment.

Implants would be made from the chemical and, once in the body, would help speed up the growth of new bone.

As the fresh bone grows, the implant would slowly dissolve, and eventually be replaced completely by bone.

The team of scientists, from Aberdeen University, said an X-ray taken two years after the treatment could not distinguish between the new and old bone.

Dr Iain Gibson, lead scientist on the project, said the technology would be invaluable to help cope with an ageing population in which people are staying active longer and incurring associated injuries.

The treatment could also slash waiting times, as patients would spend less time in hospital.

Dr Gibson said: "The body can repair a fracture, but losing a large amount of bone is too much of a challenge so we are giving the cells a bit of a helping hand. This material stimulates the cells to try to repair bone fractures.

"The majority of materials surgeons use are really traditionally engineered, either titanium or stainless steel, which don't integrate with the body at all. A graft from another area of the body (can be used but] there are problems because it involves a second surgery, which allows for infection."

As well as not having to endure uncomfortable metal implants for the rest of their lives, patients would also benefit from a faster recovery.

The material, created through a combination of chemical and engineering expertise, is a modified version of calcium phosphate – the mineral which occurs naturally in human bones. It is produced by the cells in bone, and the new material stimulates them to create more of it, so it eventually replaces the implant.

At the moment, calcium phosphates are only used to coat metallic implants to try and make them more compatible with the human body.

Dr Gibson, who leads a five-strong team, said: "We have modified it and it will dissolve over time. We don't want our material to remain in the body all the time. We want it to be replaced with real bone."

The team is creating prototypes of the material, growing bone-forming cells on it and testing it for strength. They will then attempt to secure more investment to go to clinical trials.

A spokesman for the National Osteoporosis Society said last night: "Anything that helps with fracture healing would be welcomed."

&#149 Dr Gibson will be discussing his work on Wednesday at "Innovate with Aberdeen: The Frontiers of Excellence" event at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.