Development of the novel implant for fracture treatment using a TiNbSn alloy with a low Young's modulus

• Project/Area Number: 17K16671
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kamimura Masayuki 東北大学, 大学病院, 助教 (80758962)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: 骨折治癒 / インプラント / 合金 / Ti-Nb-Sn合金 / プレート / 加熱処理 / 髄内釘 / 外科 / 細胞・組織

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Titanium-niobium-tin (TiNbSn) alloy, which was developed by Tohoku University Institute for Material Research, has a low Young’s modulus close to that of human cortical bone. With the goal of developing the novel implant with TiNbSn alloy for fracture treatment, the effects of the elastic property of TiNbSn alloy implants on fracture healing were evaluated compared with conventional Ti-6Al-4V implants using a rabbit tibial osteotomy model.
TiNbSn alloy nails showed significantly larger callus volume in micro-CT images and higher maximum load in mechanical testing. Next, TiNbSn alloy plates were prepared and their effects on fracture healing were evaluated using the same experimental animal model in histologic, radiographic and mechanical analyses.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

骨折に対する手術治療の目的は、受傷者や社会に対する損失を最小限に抑えるために早期に適切な骨癒合を得ることであるが、一部の症例は癒合不全に陥り治療に難渋する。本研究ではTNS合金製の骨折治療インプラントを開発するにあたり、TNS合金のヒト皮質骨に近い低弾性という特性が骨折治癒の促進や骨癒合部の力学的促進の改善につながることが確認された。実際の骨折治療において成績改善に貢献するインプラントの開発が期待できる。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Improved Osseointegration of a TiNbSn Alloy with a Low Young’s Modulus Treated with Anodic Oxidation (2019)
  • Author(s): Kunii Tomonori、Mori Yu、Tanaka Hidetatsu、Kogure Atsushi、Kamimura Masayuki、Mori Naoko、Hanada Shuji、Masahashi Naoya、Itoi Eiji
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 13985-13985
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50581-7
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Effects of elastic intramedullary nails composed of low Young's modulus Ti-Nb-Sn alloy on healing of tibial osteotomies in rabbits (2018)
  • Author(s): Kogure Atsushi、Mori Yu、Tanaka Hidetatsu、Kamimura Masayuki、Masahashi Naoya、Hanada Shuji、Itoi Eiji
  • Journal Title: Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials Volume: 107 Issue: 3 Pages: 700-707
  • DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34163
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effects of intramedullary nails composed of a new β-type Ti-Nb-Sn alloy with low Young's modulus on fracture healing in mouse tibiae (2018)
  • Author(s): Fujisawa Hirokazu、Mori Yu、Kogure Atsushi、Tanaka Hidetatsu、Kamimura Masayuki、Masahashi Naoya、Hanada Shuji、Itoi Eiji
  • Journal Title: J Biomed Mat Res B Appl Biomater Volume: - Issue: 8 Pages: 2841-2848
  • DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.34064
  • Peer Reviewed