New super-elastic adaptive alloy may improve pediatric scoliosis treatment

Researchers at Texas A&M University recently designed a growing rod material that may be able to significantly reduce complications from corrective surgeries for children with early-onset scoliosis.

According to a university press release, Ji Ma, MD, an assistant research scientist at the university’s Engineering Experiment Station, and Ibrahim Karaman, MD, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the university, designed the rod. The implant is made from a super-elastic adaptive alloy, which is reportedly five-times more flexible than currently available growing rod implants. The implant reportedly allows for natural movement of the body and can adjust itself depending on the stress applied by the growing spine, according to the press release from the university.

“By modifying these properties to fit the biomechanical environment of the bone, it is now possible to create a device that satisfies the seemingly conflicting requirements of rigidity and flexibility required in growing rods,” Ma said in the release.

This new alloy allows the growing rod to bend at the ends and stay stiff in the middle to provide support to the spine.

For patients with implants, the mismatch between the properties of the metallic devices and bone can result in complications, such as implant loosening or bone atrophy from stress shielding. According to its designers, the materials comprising the implant are biocompatible and fatigue and corrosion resistant.

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