Fraunhofer IFAM
Currently most metal screws are made of metal and in some cases, such as ligament repair, these screws need to be removed after a certain amount of healing. These repeat procedures slow the healing process and are a huge inconvenience for patients. Luckily this may be a thing of the past in many procedures. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Bremenhave developed new screws that degrade in the body over time eventually turning into bone. [Fraunhofer]
We have modified biomaterials in such a way that they can be formed into robust bioactive and resorbable screws by means of a special injection molding process. Depending on the composition they biodegrade in 24 months
-Dr. Philipp Imgrund
Small advances like this add up over time and make big changes in the quality of peoples lives.
