Spinal conditions such as chronic back pains, slip discs, degenerative disc diseases, severe disc herniation, spinal fractures, age-related wear and tear in the spine, scoliosis and other spine related disorders prevent people from leading a healthy life and diminish their ability to go about their everyday activities. In such cases, spinal surgeries become necessary to help improve the patient’s quality of life. The spine is one of the most complicated parts of the body, which makes surgery on it difficult.
Spinal implants, known as fusion implants are used in combination with bone grafts to facilitate bone fusion. Cages, plates and rods are spinal fusion implants. Other types of spinal implants called non-fusion implants are used to provide additional support to the spine, correct deformities, replace degenerated discs, stabilise the spine, and so on. Non-fusion spinal implants include extendable rods, artificial discs, etc.
The materials used in manufacturing spinal implants are critical. It often influences the success of the procedure and the long-term patient outcomes.
Materials are used in the manufacturing of Spinal Implants
In meeting the requirements such as durability, profile, flexibility, biocompatibility, and anti-corrosive properties, among others, metals and performance polymers are used in manufacturing spinal implants.
Metal Implants
The two most commonly used metals for producing spinal implants are titanium and stainless steel, mainly owing to their strength, durability, stability, and biocompatibility.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is one of the more popular metals used in manufacturing spinal implants owing to the high degree of durability, sturdiness, and stability they offer.
- Most sturdy and durable
- Corrosion resistant
- Biocompatible material
- Highly stability
Titanium
Titanium offers all the benefits of stainless-steel implants and more. It is one of the lightest among metal implants and weighs only about half that of stainless steel. Being non-ferrous, people with these implants can undergo MRI and CT scans even after surgery, as titanium is non-magnetic and non-ferrous. Titanium implants are more ductile than stainless steel implants.
- Lightweight metal than most alloy implants
- Incredible strength
- Highly durable and can last upto 20 years
- Sturdy
- Biocompatible material
- Non-corrosive
- Non-allergenic
- Easily integrates with bones
- Non-toxic
Performance Polymer Implants
The other popular and widely used set of implants are made with high-performance engineered polymers such as PEEK and UHMWPE. Given their flexibility, ductility, and biocompatibility, they are preferred for forging fusion spinal implants.
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
From cages, artificial discs, and lumbar spacers to screws and rods, the most notable performance polymer used in spinal implants is Polyetheretherketone (PEEK).
- Excellent biomechanical properties
- High inertness in the body owing to biostability and biocompatibility with the body’s tissues
- Radiolucency During Medical Imaging
- Porous
- Flexible and ductile
- Easily modifiable
- It is widely used in spinal fusion procedures
UHMWPE
Ultra-High Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used in spinal implants owing to its bio-inertness, porosity, and high chemical resistance. It is widely used in spinal disc prostheses.
- High bio-inertness and biocompatibility
- Radiolucency during medical imaging
- High porosity
- Flexible and ductile
- Easily modifiable
- High resistance to corrosion and abrasion
- Strong and durable
The material of the spinal implant matters as it influences the following factors.
Purpose of the implant: For implants like rods, plates, and screws, stability of the implant is critical, while cages need to allow natural bone growth while offering flexibility. If the rods are made of carbon-fiber-reinforced materials, the body weight may cause them to snap.
Biocompatibility: The ability of the implant to function inside the human body without any detrimental local or systemic responses or allergic reactions is known as the biocompatibility of the implant. For instance, substances like nickel and chromium in stainless steel implants may cause allergic reactions.
Durability: Spinal implants should have a long lifespan, high tensile strength, and sturdiness as they will be exposed to considerable load in their lifetime. If the implants aren’t durable, they may break under such loads within a shorter period of time. The durability of spinal implants is directly impacted by the material used in their production. That is why metals such as titanium and stainless steel are used in manufacturing several of the non-fusion implants.
Flexibility and Ductility: Some spinal implants need to be flexible and ductile to match patient anatomy more precisely. For instance, this is the case with cages and artificial discs. That is why performance polymers are usually preferred for such implants.
Weight: The weight of the implant matters too, and the material impacts the weight, profile, and volume of the implant. Titanium and PEEK implants are lighter than stainless steel and are hence, preferred by most Spinal Implant Manufacturing Companies.
While the skill level and knowledge of the surgeon are one of the key requirements for successful spine surgeries, the quality of implants used in the surgery also matters highly. Accordingly, surgeons and scientists worldwide are innovating to improve implants and patient outcomes. These are achieved not just by reinventing and improving the design but also with the choice of materials used in manufacturing the implants. So, make sure that the right material is chosen and used in manufacturing spinal implants.
At Gesco Healthcare, we source superior quality and surgery-grade materials, including titanium, PEEK, stainless steel and UHMWPE, to manufacture sterile, surgery-ready, innovative, and durable spinal implants.
