10.13.14
Invibio Biomaterial Solutions has released a new trauma device material, PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced polymer, designed to provide similar mechanical strength to metallic plates, with a touted 50 times greater fatigue resistance.
The polymer is a composite of PEEK-Optima natural polymer reinforced with continuous carbon fibers. According to the company, using PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced polymer, designers can alter stiffness and develop trauma implants that are less rigid than metal implants, increasing dynamic loading and promoting secondary healing at the fracture site. The special polymer is designed to provide clear visibility of a fracture site so surgeons can monitor healing.
Invibio is offering what it calls Trauma Device Technology, a turnkey platform for medical device manufacturers to quickly design, validate and manufacture semi-rigid anatomic plates composed of the new polymer.
“Patients who are at risk for slow or delayed healing can benefit from implants composed of PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced because the fatigue life is so much greater than metal,” said David J. Hak, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Denver Health, University of Colorado. “They're more likely to be able to heal their fracture before their implant fails due to fatigue. There's a whole host of patients that are slow to heal, including smokers and patients with diabetes, poor bone quality or open fractures, who have an enhanced potential to heal. I've been using the material for about two years in the proximal humerus and I've been very pleased with the outcome of those patients.”
Invibio Trauma Device Technology is a turnkey platform that allows medical device manufacturers to quickly design, validate and manufacture semi-rigid anatomic plates composed of PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced polymer.
“At Invibio, we’ve spent more than five years developing the expertise, design and manufacturing processes and building manufacturing facilities to quickly and cost effectively bring composite device components to market,” John Devine, emerging business director at Invibio explained. “Now, we are able to offer our customers a technology platform from which they can deliver differentiated PEEK-composite trauma implants up to three times faster than if they developed programs on their own. Customers can save as much as $1.8 million in start-up and development costs and redeploy their development staff to other business initiatives.”
Invibio, which makes PEEK polymers for use in medical devices and implants, is a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Victrex plc.
The polymer is a composite of PEEK-Optima natural polymer reinforced with continuous carbon fibers. According to the company, using PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced polymer, designers can alter stiffness and develop trauma implants that are less rigid than metal implants, increasing dynamic loading and promoting secondary healing at the fracture site. The special polymer is designed to provide clear visibility of a fracture site so surgeons can monitor healing.
Invibio is offering what it calls Trauma Device Technology, a turnkey platform for medical device manufacturers to quickly design, validate and manufacture semi-rigid anatomic plates composed of the new polymer.
“Patients who are at risk for slow or delayed healing can benefit from implants composed of PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced because the fatigue life is so much greater than metal,” said David J. Hak, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Denver Health, University of Colorado. “They're more likely to be able to heal their fracture before their implant fails due to fatigue. There's a whole host of patients that are slow to heal, including smokers and patients with diabetes, poor bone quality or open fractures, who have an enhanced potential to heal. I've been using the material for about two years in the proximal humerus and I've been very pleased with the outcome of those patients.”
Invibio Trauma Device Technology is a turnkey platform that allows medical device manufacturers to quickly design, validate and manufacture semi-rigid anatomic plates composed of PEEK-Optima ultra-reinforced polymer.
“At Invibio, we’ve spent more than five years developing the expertise, design and manufacturing processes and building manufacturing facilities to quickly and cost effectively bring composite device components to market,” John Devine, emerging business director at Invibio explained. “Now, we are able to offer our customers a technology platform from which they can deliver differentiated PEEK-composite trauma implants up to three times faster than if they developed programs on their own. Customers can save as much as $1.8 million in start-up and development costs and redeploy their development staff to other business initiatives.”
Invibio, which makes PEEK polymers for use in medical devices and implants, is a subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Victrex plc.