SMART STRUCTURES FOR BONE PROSTHESIS

摘要

This invention relates to structures to be applied in bone prostheses and it refers to a multi-network concept of biosensors and bioactuators that continually and actively monitor the performance and integrity of bone implants inside living organisms. The biosensors network contemplates different sensor technologies (optical, piezoresistive piezoelectric and piroelectrical), which allow a real-time implant monitoring, during and after the surgery, the actuator network consisting of biomimetic material that stimulates bone growth by biological, mechanical, electromechanical, thermal and electrochemical effects. This invention gets on the emergent concept of smart materials and structures specifically directed to medical applications, such as hip, keen, shoulder and orthodontic implants, providing secondary functions to bone prosthesis, such as clinical preventive measures according to the monitor output data, automatic update of implant databases, implant self-repair capacities, minimization of implant unsuccessful performance, controlled drug release and a method for identifying the patient's clinical background, in case of accident or catastrophe.