A study has evaluated two additive manufacturing methods
for producing either fine- or coarse-textured titanium implants and
compared the strength of bone integration, interlocking, and torque in
rats given one or both types of the implants in the distal femurs. As
the frequency of osseointegration increases, the ability to customize
implant surface textures and geometries to match the specific anatomy of
people with amputations will become more important, according to the
study published June 1 in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing. The study will be available at no cost until July 20.
One
of the methods used in the study, electron beam melting, produces a
coarse-textured implant, whereas the other method, direct metal laser
sintering, can create either a fine- or coarse-textured surface. The
researchers reported substantial differences between the fine-textured
and coarse-textured implants based on mechanical testing to assess
osseointegration and torsional properties, and measures of bone-volume
fraction and bone-implant contact.
