Artificial Tissue Matrices for Bone Repair

The injuries to warfighters caused by Improved Explosive Devices and snipers are often associated with significant loss of long and/or maxillofacial bones. Effective treatment and recuperation necessitates the replacement of these missing bone structures. We are developing a device which once implanted into the injury defect will strongly stimulate osteogenesis and ultimately be resorbed and replaced by the patient"s own bone over one to four months, depending on the size of the injury. By stimulating de novo bone formation and filling the defect with the patient"s own bone many of the post operative complications associated with current therapies will be overcome. This treatment is currently being developed for flat bones such as cranium and maxillofacial, however it will also be effective in long bone. In addition the bioactive component of this device can be applied to prosthetics to increase osseointegration to increase both the rate and quality of recovery.