OrthoMend is an emerging orthopedic device company. We are developing a new generation of bone fiation technology offering vast improvements over present conventional devices.
Description: GCS-based fND-reinforced “smart screws” – safe biodegradable material reinforced with nano-diamonds used to manufacture surgical screws and plates that dissolve naturally at a preset rate.
Novel, nanodiamond-reinforced biodegradable, bioactive surgical fixation device with controlled inner gradient cellular structure (GCS) porosity for the repair of damaged/torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL), which is one of most prevalent sports injuries (Ginaotti et al., 2009).
Smart screws structurally mimic the porosity profile of natural bone and exhibit adequate mechanical strength. The added properties of controlled degradation and bioactivity through the presence of hydoxyapatite nanoparticles will facilitate tissue in-growth and regeneration.
OrthoMend addresses two pivotal shortcomings of currently available biodegradable surgical tools for ACL repair:
1) bioactivity –by using GCS porosity (in combination with the innate osteogenic properties of one of the build material ( hydroxyapatite), the structure of these “smart,” bioactive surgical tools will closely mimic the porosity profile of natural bone, thus facilitating bone regeneration and active tissue ingrowth (Zhang et al., 2005).
2) mechanical stability – incorporation of functionalized nanodiamonds (fNDs) will provide adequate mechanical strength.
These two unique features, in concert with controlled degradation properties of biopolymers, will facilitate osteogenic tissue in-growth and regeneration.