AN ADVANCED COMPOSITE POSTFORMABLE BONE PLATE

CURRENT BONE PLATES FOR INTERNAL FRACTURE FIXATION ARE MADE FROM HIGH STRENGTH/HIGH MODULUS METAL ALLOYS. MANY PROBLEMSASSOCIATED WITH METAL ALLOY IMPLANTS RESULTS FROM THE COMPLIANCE MISMATCH BETWEEN THE IMPLANT AND BONE. IN ADDITION, THE RIGID BONE PLATE ALSO LIMITS MICROMOVEMENT AT THE FRACTURE SITE WHICH INHIBITS THE FORMATION OF EXTERNAL CALLUS. THIS PROGRAM INVESTIGATES USING CARBON-POLYSULFONE (C/PS) ASTHE BONE PLATE MATERIAL. EMPHASIS IS GIVEN TO COMPOSITE MATERIAL PROPERTIES WHICH APPROXIMATE THAT OF THE HOST BONE WHILE RETAINING THE REQUIRED IMPLANT STRENGTH. A DIAPHYSIS FEMUR FRACTURE WILL BE USED AS THE MODEL IN THE PHASE I EFFORT. BECAUSE POLYSULFONE IS A THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, ITHAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE RESHAPED IN THE OPERATING ROOM (O.R.) TO ALLOW A CUSTOM FIT TO THE PATIENT. THE USE OF NEAR NET SHAPE FABRICATION OF THE BONE PLATE ON A BONE SHAPED MANDREL WILL MINIMIZE THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF O.R. POSTFORMING BY THE SURGEON. THE SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS ANALYSIS, DESIGN, AND FABRICATION OF A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT PROTOTYPE CARBON FIBER/POLYSULFONE BONE PLATE. LIMITED MECHANICAL TESTS WILLBE PERFORMED TO VALIDATE THE DESIGN. MANUFACTURING AND COST CONSIDERATIONS WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE STUDY TO ASSESS THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF USING C/PS AS A BONE PLATE MATERIAL.