At McGill University in Canada, researchers have been working on orthopedic technology that will improve the performance of hip and other bone implants. The investigators developed a fine microstructure within a titanium femoral stem that mimics the porosity of real bones. This varying porous structure promotes tissue growth into the implant, helping to establish the device quickly within the body and heal the affected area soon after implantation.
Because it is so porous, the implant is actually quite light. Yet, similar to I-beams used in the construction trade, the implants turn out to be stronger while using less material than a solid implant. Many currently available implants have porous surfaces, which has been an available characteristic for a number of years now. The new implant is porous throughout, resulting in a less brittle product that behaves more like a real bone and channels a lot of the energy that it absorbs into the bone it’s designed to sit inside.