Researchers in London developed a copper implant that is designed to treat Osteomyelitis, a rare condition of bone inflammation caused by infection, according to The Siasat Daily.
Four insights:
1. With the copper implant, surgeons and physicians do not have to use antibiotics to treat the bone infection, which generally forms in the legs, arms or spine.
2. The implant can be placed at the infection site, killing the bacteria, improving blood flow and promoting new bone growth without antibiotics. The copper implant is also designed to reduce the need for bone grafting.
3. Researchers combined copper particles with bioactive glass and incorporated it into an implant designed for bone repair. The porous scaffold implant is designed to attract blood vessels and bone cells to accelerate bone repair.
4. Copper ions also prevent bacteria growth. Emily Ryan, a post-doctoral student from Dublin-based Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, said, "[The implant] in turn could reduce the need for antibiotics and bone grafting — thus also addressing issues with antibiotic resistance," according to The Siasat Daily.