Bioresorbable Bone Substitute with Water-Soluble X-Ray Contrast Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone substitutes for treating osteoporosis and bone defects, such as calcium phosphates and calcium sulfates, face issues like slow resorption rates, low osteogenic capacity, potential for nerve damage due to leakage, and difficulties in X-ray visibility, which complicates surgical procedures and patient recovery.
Innovation Solution
A composition for an artificial bone mineral substitute material incorporating a water-soluble non-ionic X-ray contrast agent, like iohexol, combined with calcium phosphates or sulfates, enhancing radiopacity and biocompatibility, allowing for improved visibility during surgeries and reduced risk of inflammation, while being injectable and bioresorbable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bone substitute material is used for treating osteoporosis and bone defects, then the bone repair function is provided, but the X-ray visibility is poor making surgical procedures difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of color changes by incorporating an X-ray contrast agent into the bone substitute material. This contrast agent contains elements with high atomic numbers (such as barium, zinc, or strontium) that significantly enhance the material's radiopacity. The contrast agent is mixed with the bone substitute particles and setting agent to create a composite composition that maintains its bone repair functionality while achieving sufficient X-ray visibility for surgical monitoring.
2Ease of operation
If a thin layer of bone substitute is used to improve injection ease, then the injectability is improved, but the visibility in X-ray pictures becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by incorporating an X-ray contrast agent into the bone substitute composition. The contrast agent contains radiopaque elements (barium, zinc, or strontium compounds) that enhance X-ray visibility without affecting the material's injectability. This allows thin layers of the bone substitute to be both easily injected and clearly visible during surgical procedures.
3Strength
If PMMA bone cement is used for stabilizing the spine, then the fixation strength is improved, but the exothermic reaction causes cell death and tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using biodegradable bone substitute materials (calcium phosphate or calcium sulfate particles) instead of permanent PMMA cement. These materials provide temporary fixation strength during the critical healing period and then gradually degrade into harmless products that are absorbed by the body. This eliminates the long-term presence of non-biodegradable material and its associated exothermic reaction risks, while still providing sufficient mechanical support during bone regeneration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters from PMMA (a polymer requiring exothermic curing) to calcium phosphate or calcium sulfate particles that set through a different mechanism. These materials can be mixed with water or physiological saline to form an injectable paste that sets without significant heat generation, thereby eliminating the exothermic reaction problem while maintaining fixation strength.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a bone substitute with improved X-ray visibility is used, then the surgical monitoring is improved, but the material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bone substitute particles with the X-ray contrast agent into a single composite composition. The contrast agent is incorporated during the mixing stage, combining the therapeutic function (bone substitution) with the diagnostic function (X-ray visibility) in one material system. This integrated approach simplifies the overall procedure compared to using separate materials or additional imaging techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of iohexol or iodixanol in the composition significantly improves X-ray visibility, reduces the risk of nerve damage, and facilitates easier injection and handling of the bone substitute, enabling better monitoring of bone healing and reducing the complications associated with existing materials.
Implementation Method 1
The invention refers to an artificial bone mineral substitute material as well as a composition for the same, which have improved radio-opacity
Data Source
AI summary
The invention refers to an artificial bone mineral substitute material which comprises at least one ceramic and at least one water soluble non-ionic X-ray contrast agent. The invention refers to a composition for producing the same, which further comprises an aqueous liquid, as well as the use of the composition as a X-ray contrast medium.