Researchers use PEKK implants to accelerate bone regeneration

We have often reported on the advantages of high-performance materials such as PEEK, ULTEM or PEKK. Particularly in the medical field, some of these materials offer many benefits due to their biocompatibility. A while ago we reported on the first clavicle 3D printed with PEEK in China. American researchers have now also shown that 3D printed PEKK implants can accelerate bone regeneration.

The researchers at Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) in Connecticut and McGill University, Canada, published their study in the scientific journal Nature. They explain that the 3D printed implants were combined with human synovial fluid (synovial fluid) and mesenchymal stem cells (hSF-MSC), which enable cartilage regeneration and strongly indicate new bone growth. In people with severe bone defects, OPM’s OsteoFab PEKK implants could reduce more complex procedures such as bone transplants.

Bone transplants replace missing bone by removing a part of the bone from another part of the body to replace and heal the affected area. According to the study, up to 2.2 million of these operations are performed worldwide, including orthopedic but also for dental procedures. As with any transplantation, negative effects can occur, such as prolonged regeneration time or complications with the removal of autologous (endogenous) bone. According to the scientists, bone regeneration using stem cells is the best approach to prevent these limitations.