Metal Foams to Regrow Bones By Justin Womack

Bone Damage Possess the ability to self heal This ability cannot work on injuries that reach the critical size defect Can be caused by: Congential Defects Cancer Resections Extreme Trauma Critical Size defect estimated at 2.5 cm in length Defect greater than 2.5 x bone diameter

Bone Tissue Engineering The goal of bone tissue engineering is to repair, regrow, and restore function to bone tissues damaged beyond the natural healing capacity of the human body without the use of another bone source. Three main elements needs for Tissue Engineering: Properly differentiated stem cells A biocompatible scaffold Stimulating Factors

The Scaffold A bone scaffold must: Provide mechanical support Provide template for cell attachment Be Osteoinductive, Osteoconducive, and allow for Osseointegration Degrade at a similar rate of new tissue formation Calcium phosphate scaffold Osteoinduction is the recruitment of immature cells and the stimulation of these cells to develop Osteoconduvice means that bone grows on a surface. Osseointegration is the stable anchorage of an implant achieved by direct bonet to implant contact.

Metal Foams as a Scaffold Material Metal foams are a light weight porous metal that retains much of the qualities of the original metal Has great compressive, impact, and load bearing capabilities Current applications include lighter automobile parts and material for body armor.

Creating the Process

Variety of Scaffolds Possible