Many people in the world suffer from arthrosis, osteoporosis, and fracture neck of femur or bone cancer. To avoid amputation and to preserve the movement used endoprostheses - internal prosthetic joints.
Pure titanium
In Moscow's Central Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics (MCITO) are being used domestic substitutes for the hip and knee joints. "The majority of physicians and patients rely on imported endoprosthesis - says director of the endoprosthesis department of MCITO professor Nicholas Zagorodny. - In our country in the late nineties there were lot of small firms which produced such products, but their quality left much to be desired. They caused frequent complications and the need for repeated operations. We have to deal with this issue in collaboration with Professor of Moscow Aviation Technological Institute (MATI) Alexander Ilyin - a specialist in the processing of metals and alloys for the space industry. We started from scratch, but have adopted unique Russian technologies".
Scientists decided to make endoprostheses only of titanium, without combining it with other metals. Titan is the most suitable material, as well as on the elastic properties closest to the bone. Titanium has ideal biocompatibility - it does not react with tissues of the body. But for the prostheses, properties of titanium should be even better.
Nanoceramics
Scientists have used thermohydrogenous treatment: in high temperature molten titanium saturate by hydrogen ions. They are destroying the crystal lattice, and smash the metal up to micron particles. In doing so, titanium is becoming more solid. But his strength and biocompatibility remain the same.
Another original technology is processing of the product in a vacuum chamber by ions of nitrogen. "The ions penetrate the metal oxide to a depth of 200 microns, and eight-micron layer sputtered on the surface, - explained Professor Zagorodny. - This increases the wear resistance of rubbing surfaces, which is very important in the joint. Thus, we obtain nitride ceramics ". Technology nitride ceramics, he said, applies only to one American company. But our products, unlike the American, nitrous treatment is deeper.
Another innovation is changing the cross section of a rod which is inserted into the bone canal. Foreign analogues have a rectangular cross section, which at the turn traumatizes the bone. In prostheses of MATI-MCITO, two faces of cross section are rounded. Such a structure less dangerous, said the professor.
Russian endoprostheses demonstrated at the International Exhibition in Dusseldorf, and aroused great interest from foreign colleagues. They went to the international market: forthcoming Russian-German agreement on cooperation under the motto "Russian technology - German quality".
The question of price is reasonable. According to Nikolai Zagorodny, russian prosthesis can be cheaper overseas twice. On the one hand, the price of raw material for everybody is the same, Russian prostheses produced fewer parties and equipment in Russia for more than an old, but the labor is much cheaper. However, patients still receive them free of charge in the state program for high-tech health care, said the surgeon.
Kiryl Hil
Author Bio
Bone cancer symptoms site tells about symptoms of the bone cancer and types of treatment. For more information visit: http://bonecancersymptoms.org
