Orthopaedic Composites : Providing Life Without Limitations

Improvements in the orthopaedic sector is a continual process. To maintain a competitive edge and provide high-quality solutions in a rapidly growing market, the equipment manufacturers seek lighter, and better components that aid in easy and flawless movement.

The advent of composite materials in orthopaedic industry created a buzz as it catered a wide array of problems related to devices and equipment used in the orthopaedic industry. How and why? Let us read more.

Why Composites in Orthopaedic industry?

Human Bones naturally are composites. They are a blend of two main components- a hard and brittle crystals/material called hydroxyapatite (referred to as calcium phosphate) and a soft, flexible material called collagen fiber. With regards to this fact, composite materials could represent great biocompatibility.

The orthopaedic composites belong to a group of materials called?biomaterials?that can substitute natural tissues in the body and mimic their functions.

In comparison to traditional/metal orthopaedic implants, the substitutes in orthopaedic surgeries made of composite materials offer?no corrosion?properties. The ability to withstand?fatigue strain?is yet another benefit of these materials.

One of the major advantages of composite materials used in orthopaedic implants is their?radiolucency.?Composite materials allow the passage of electromagnetic radiations that makes post-operative monitoring easy.

With the rise in demand for better performing orthopaedics,?the global orthopedic composites market?is expected to cross?US$ 332 million by 2027.

Best Performing Materials in Orthopaedic Composites

Just like the human bones, composites used as their substitutes are also a blend of two main components. One is the matrix/binder usually a resin. It binds together fibres of the second material, called the reinforcement.

Orthopaedic composites usually use a mixture of fibers like cotton, nylon, and carbon fiber, etc. And preferred resins can be acrylic, vinyl ester, epoxy, and others.

Carbon fiber?(CF)?composites stand out in the materials world as one of the toughest yet lightweight material. These composites are ideal for any application that requires high strength, durability, lightweight, etc. These are proven to be biologically inert, which makes them the preferred choice for use in not only orthopaedic, but entire medical field. Few of their benefits are-

• The CF composites can be tailored to size, sterilized by standard techniques, and altered to weight constraints.
• These low-density materials with a high strength to weight ratio aid in providing superior toughness without getting bogged down like other heavy metals. This makes it a proper match for applications like prosthetic parts like limbs and arms, etc.
• These composites can be moulded and twisted into a string of yarn or shaped into almost anything.
• The most common causes of orthopedic implant failure are infections. CF composites have no allergic reaction making them one of the best materials for any orthopaedic implants.

Composites Injecting New Dynamism into the Prosthetics World

The orthopedic composites are widely applied in medical devices such as orthotics (braces, splints, etc.) and prosthetics (artificial body parts, ex. Artificial limb, arms, eyes, etc.). However, amongst both, prosthetics are the dominant applicant of composites.

Amputee Coalition of America states that there are more than 1 million annual limb amputations globally: representing one in every 30 seconds. The main causes of the limb loss are vascular diseases including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease, trauma, and cancer.

Diabetes, one of the major causes of limb loss (refer to?fig. 1) has affected ~285 Mn people globally and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) predicts that the numbers will reach 435 Mn by 2030, which can also rise the numbers in amputees and demand for prosthetics.

Orthopaedic composites are also considered best for advanced prosthetic devices as they provide balance, flexibility, and strength to withstand high-impact activities like sprinting and jumping, due to which composite prosthetics started gaining traction in sporting events such as Paralympics.

Strengthening Demand for Orthopaedic Composites in the U.S.

Ageing population is also one of the growth drivers of the orthopaedic composites market. According to data from?World Population Prospects: the 2019 Revision,?by 2050, one in six people in across the globe will be over age 65, up from one in 11 in 2019.?(Source – UN.org)

Although, among all the other regions, due to well-formulated healthcare policies along with high adoption of technological advancements in prosthetic & orthotics, and rising healthcare expenditure?(refer to Fig.2)?the U.S. holds maximum share of the orthopaedic composites market.?Let us look at the numbers and facts.

• The recent statistics show that the United States spends a disproportionate amount on healthcare, more than any other developed country. Europe the second-largest region in the prosthetics and orthotics market houses maximum number of major players of orthopaedic composites market and some well-established healthcare infrastructure.

• According to the Amputee Coalition Community Survey Results 2021-2022, there were more than?2 million Americans?surviving with?limb loss, and the number is projected to cross 3.6 million by 2050.

Trends in Orthopaedic Composites Industry

The orthopaedic composites industry is continuously being shaped by myriad forces.

The bionics industry?is growing rapidly and is one of the examples of technological advancements. A few application areas where bionics are major used are - vision, hearing,?orthopaedics, etc. Bionics don’t require surgery but are custom-made according to the specifications of the user’s muscles that move flawlessly using signals (via sensors) from the brain and nerves of the user.

There is also a push in the orthotics exoskeleton industry that relies on textiles instead of hard moulded components. These are also wearable structures but made of even lighter material.

With the passing time, the demands and choices of consumers have been upgrading. And to keep up with the growing trend, the materials should also be upgraded timely. The orthopaedic composites industry is heavily dependent on high-performance materials. A few polymers like, poly-ether ether ketone (PEEK) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) continue to show better performance.

Composites Will Continue to Improve People’s Mobility

Rising interest in Olympics, Paralympics, etc., rising living standards, increasing numbers of diabetic patients, and geriatric population are a few of many factors that have enhanced the growth of the orthopaedic industry. Reduced curing time, highly bio-compatible materials, light-weight composites, and increased device performance are some of the areas which needs further advancements.

Studies state that?around 100 million people worldwide need a prosthetic limb?to replace an amputated arm or leg, or an orthotic device to support a damaged limb. But the high prices of the advanced prosthetics are creating a huge gap. ~80% of these people don’t have access to any of these devices as the prices are acting as the bottleneck for the sales of prosthetics.

Although, composites are considered better-performing materials, they still are just tweaks of the fundamental materials created in the past. With further developments in resins, fibers, and other materials; thinner, and lighter-weight orthopaedic parts with better performance and better prices, the industry has a promising future.

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Authored by Stratview Research and originally published on?Orthopedic Design & Technology?Mag