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A small German company has developed a method for improving the adhesion of
hydroxylapatite (HA) coatings to implants. The company, Erothitan Titanium Implants,
has combined its laser technology with HA to create a new, ultra-thin product,
laserapatite, for covering orthopaedic prosthetics. The company presented its
research at the Micro and Nano Technologies in the Life Sciences conference
in Switzerland earlier this month (see Clinica No 945, p 21).
HA is widely used by orthopaedic and dental companies to coat implants, but
it often peels off, which can cause damage to the device, Wolfgang Roth, Erothitans
present told Clinica. Laserapatite is manufactured within an vacuum chamber
containing argon gas, which "tightens (the coating) to the material",
said Mr. Roth. The process uses an excimer laser to convert HA powder into a
material which is deposited onto the surface of an implant using a "pulsed
laser deposition technique".
HA is currently applied to an implant by plasma spraying, which shoots the powder
through a flame under high pressure. Coating of about 50µm are possible
using this technique, but do not adhere well to the device. Erothitan claims
its method can produce a coating of less than 3µm, without any implant
surface preparation and with high adhesion. "If a coating is thin, the
adhesion will be better", said Mr. Roth.
The company, located in Schmalkalden, Thüringen, is planning to begin clinical
trials of laserapatite in the US and Europe that will concentrate on coating
spinal screws and cages. The coating will cost up to E60 ($55), depending on
the size of the implant, and Erothitan is open to licensing the technology to
other companies. Future applications for laserapatite could include coating
stents for urology and cardiac applications, said Mr. Roth.
Clinica 946 February 19 2001
Science & Technology