Personalized implants ease post-fracture wrist chronic pain

By Team IO

A team at Maastricht UMC+ developed a new treatment for chronic pain after a wrist fracture. It consists of a personalized implant that a surgeon can place in a short operation without removing or damaging other bones or tissue. The first three implants were placed on May 31.

Trauma surgeons regularly treat complex fractures in the wrist caused by a fall, for example. In some patients, wear and tear (arthrosis) of the joint surfaces of the wrist develops over time. If these surfaces rub against each other, patients lose strength, experience constant pain, and, therefore, have less use of the wrist. They are often young people who, therefore, experience limitations in daily activities and their social and working lives for the rest of their lives. Although a wrist fracture is a ‘cheap’ treatment from a medical point of view, the social costs are high.

Personalized implants

Trauma surgeon, hand and wrist specialist Pascal Hannemann, and fellow surgeon Philip Schormans, now working at the Amphia Hospital in Breda, sought cooperation with the company dsm-firmenich Biomedical, which developed a polycarbonate material. After years of research, this plastic proved to be suitable as an implant. In order to create a personalized implant, the material must be injected into a mold and allowed to harden. This mold is made with a 3D printer based on a CT scan of the patient’s wrist. The company Xilloc Medical makes the 3D design of the implant, and the company Samaplast produces the molds and implants.  

Treatment of bone cancers with human mini bones

Researchers at Lund University have generated human mini bones in the lab which mirror the composition and function of human bone, says the university in a press release. It is a step toward the future development of patient-tailored, personalized models of bone cancers and tumors.

Pilot study

Scientists were eventually given permission to find twelve patients who would receive the implant as part of a study. They will closely monitor these patients after placement, including discussions about the pain, measuring the wrist function and MRI scans that will be compared with a scan from before placement. This will allow the doctors to see if there are any changes in the tissue or bones around the implant. Blood tests will also be taken regularly to check for an inflammatory reaction, for example. If the implant is still functioning well after one year, the study period can be extended.