Shortcomings of current orthopedic implant material technology burden healthcare systems across the world. Many patients who receive permanent implants do not wish to have them remain long-term but surgeons are reluctant to remove them due to the high occurrence of complications[1]. In some countries, such as Germany, hardware removal is a more common occurrence because the national healthcare system reimburses for the procedures, adding costs to the healthcare system from both the procedure and management of the complications. In the US, where removal is less common at an overall rate of 7.5% of the 1.94 million orthopedic fixation procedures occurring annually, this translates to an estimated direct cost of $1.72 billion per year with an average cost of $11,800 per procedure[2],[3],[4]. Indirect costs resulting from an average of 16 days of time away from school or work further increase the costs to society[5]. Absorbable polymer implant technology was introduced to eliminate these costs, and after several decades has had limited market penetration due to its shortcomings in usability and unique complications. Removal rates of polymer implants are comparable to Titanium due to unique complications arising from the polymeric absorption process[6]. Despite their complication rates, polymer absorbable hardware is used in over 17% of craniomaxillofacial fixation procedures, demonstrating a strong market demand for absorbable hardware.
To solve the problems of current implant material technology, Magsorbeo Biomedical has partnered with Terves Inc., a leading developer and manufacturer of proprietary magnesium alloys, to develop the next generation of bioabsorbable metal implants, starting with maxillofacial fixation utilizing the Akesorb System. Our approach to bioabsorbable alloy development is differentiated by focusing on highly biocompatible alloys with tailored and well-controlled absorption profiles to match the needs of a particular application. Competing alloy technology degrades unpredictably and is either too fast or too slow in reaching full absorption. Furthermore, these competing alloys cannot be easily adapted to meet the unique needs and varying implant size requirements of other specific applications. Implants degrading too fast or unpredictably can pose a safety risk to the patient when they lose mechanical integrity too early, and implants degrading too slow minimize the benefits of absorbable implant technology and may increase risk of long-term complications.
Through our novel product development, Magsorbeo Biomedical aims to improve patient quality of life with our high-performance bioabsorbable implant technology, reducing surgical interventions and healthcare costs.
[1] Hanson J, Lovald S, Cowgill I, Erdman M, Diamond B. National hardware removal rate associated with internal fixation of facial fractures. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2011 Apr;69(4):1152-8. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2010.05.029. Epub 2011 Jan 8. PMID: 21216068.
[2] MediPoint: Craniomaxillofacial Devices – US and 5EU Analysis and Market Forecasts, Reference Code: GDME0207MAR, Publication Date: December 2014
[3] Bhatt V, Chhabra P, Dover MS. Removal of miniplates in maxillofacial surgery: a follow-up study. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2005 Jun;63(6):756-60. doi: 10.1016/j.joms.2005.02.005. PMID: 15944970.
[4] Boulos A, DeFroda SF, Kleiner JE, Thomas N, Gil JA, Cruz AI Jr. Inpatient orthopaedic hardware removal in children: A cross-Sectional study. J Clin Orthop Trauma. 2017 Jul-Sep;8(3):270-275. doi: 10.1016/j.jcot.2017.06.020. Epub 2017 Jul 1. PMID: 28951646; PMCID: PMC5605744.
[5] Barcak EA, Beebe MJ, Weinlein JC. The Role of Implant Removal in Orthopedic Trauma. Orthop Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;49(1):45-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ocl.2017.08.014. PMID: 29145983.
[6] van Bakelen NB, Vermeulen KM, Buijs GJ, et al. Cost-Effectiveness of a Biodegradable Compared to a Titanium Fixation System in Maxillofacial Surgery: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS One. 2015;10(7):e0130330. Published 2015 Jul 20. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0130330