bmdo technologies for biomedical applications - MDA Technology

ADVANCED MATERIAL FORORTHOTICS AND IMPLANTSBMDO HISTORYSPARTA, Inc. (San Diego, CA), has developed composite materials forstronger, lighter-weight orthotics and medical implants. BMDO fundedSPARTA’s work in structural materials. The requirements for high stiffnessand strength in a ground-based missile interceptor led to a compositematerial of graphite fiber and resin.• SPARTA’s technology has beeninstrumental in improving hip, knee,and ankle joints.HOW IT WORKSApproximately 43 million SPARTA begins designing each orthotic orimplant by selecting appropriate compositeAmericans are regarded thermoset and thermoplastic compoundsfor the application, including those that areas having some sort offormable at low temperatures, lightweight,and low cost. Then it selects the length ofphysical disability. Newthe fibers. SPARTA’s technology combinesmaterials and both functionaland anatomical yet retains the high strength of the materi-the best of continuous and chopped fibers,which provides the necessary formabilityals. These materials can also be constructedmodeling based on magneticresonance imagingfor stiffness without malleability whenneeded, as in the ankle joints, knee joints,and foot plates.and computed tomography MEDICAL SIGNIFICANCESPARTA’s technology is especially usefulhave brought much reliefwhen strong, lightweight materials areneeded for full-leg braces, ankle joints, kneeto such individuals.joints, foot plates, hip implants, boneimplants, and spinal implants. Externalbracing is designed primarily for patientswho have lower-extremity paralysis after spinal cord injury, with some limitedapplications for post-polio syndrome and congenital disorders.Composite orthopedic implants for repairing long-bone fractures and stabilizingspines are also under study.70The medical community’s interest encouraged SPARTA to developimplantable biomimetic components, including femur and spinalimplants. SPARTA—with the National Science Foundation; the Universityof California at Davis; Mekanika, Inc. (Miami, FL); the University ofMiami, Department of Orthopedics; and Brent Adamson, M.D., (Kearney,NE)—studied repairing long-bone fractures with composite devices. Thestudy used a composite femur implant for testing because of the strengthrequired and the large amount of readily available data on steel implants.The information, methods, and synthetic materials used in the compositefemur implant are also applicable to other long bones.Chapter 3 - Intervention TechnologiesSection A - ImplantsBMDO Technologies for Biomedical Applications