People may start feeling pain in their bones and joints as they get older. If someone sustains a catastrophic injury in an accident or if their joints or bones are deteriorating as a result of a chronic ailment, this pain may be intense. They might need to speak with an orthopedic surgeon in this situation to decide on the best course of action. An orthopedic implant can be the best option if painkillers are ineffective in treating it. The implant enhances the patient’s movement and flexibility while helping to stabilize the muscular system. Let’s examine what orthopedic implants are as well as their various varieties.
Orthopedic implants: what are they?
A medical device known as an orthopedic implant is intended to repair a bone, joint, or cartilage that has been damaged or deformed. For instance, a patient might require an implant as a result of a congenital impairment, limb loss, or leg fracture. The implant can be utilized to replace the articulating surfaces in various body joints and aid in bone fixation. The implant is used to strengthen or completely replace the joints in the damaged bones or places where a patient may be experiencing discomfort in their joints or bones that may need to be repaired.
Depending on the patient’s condition, the orthopedic surgeon uses a variety of surgical techniques to implant the implants into the body. Consider a joint that has deteriorated past a certain degree. In that situation, the surgeon uses a variety of orthopedic instruments created specifically for the operation to remove the injured joint and replace it with an orthopedic implant.
The majority of orthopedic implants are constructed from titanium alloys and stainless steel, and some of them could even have a plastic lining. The implant’s essential strength is provided by the steel framework, while the plastic lining acts as synthetic cartilage. In most cases, the implant is put in position so that the bone can grow into it and strengthen it. To improve adhesion, the surgeon may occasionally additionally cement the orthopedic implant.
Types of Orthopedic Implants
An orthopedic implant may be required to stabilize your muscle system and increase your mobility and flexibility if you’ve ever had catastrophic injury from an accident or deterioration of a joint or bone over time from a chronic medical condition.
A man made item known as an orthopedic implant is used to replace a joint, bone, or cartilage that has been damaged or deformed due to an injury or congenital condition, such as breaking a leg. As there are always risks associated with surgery, your doctor’s decision to replace a damaged natural part with a manufactured medical device like an orthopedic implant is not an easy one.
However, the advantages might outweigh those dangers. For instance, without an implant or prosthetic, a patient could be forced to use a wheelchair even if it would still be quite possible for them to walk again.
Different orthopedic implant types can be identified by the type of tissue they will replace as well as the substance they are made of.
Types based on material
- Metal Alloys
Metal alloys like titanium have been and continue to be among the most commonly used materials for orthopedic implants. They are known for their incredible strength and toughness, and they can last for up to ten years before needing to be replaced.
Metal alloys are most commonly used in orthopedics in prosthetics, such as prosthetic hip and knee replacements. Bone screws and plates are also made of metal alloys.
- Ceramics
The requirement for a material to replace bones becomes critical as they grow increasingly brittle and susceptible to the aging process. Because of its close resemblance to real bone, bioceramics is a substance that helps surgeons replace bone and tissue that has deteriorated due to osteoporosis and other conditions.
- Polymers
Polymers help where other implant materials cannot. These materials are particularly useful in mimicking cartilage or ligaments that may have degenerated over time or after significant trauma. Total hip and joint replacements are just some of the instances in which a polymer can be used to adapt to the body’s tissue.
Types based on application
- Screws
A screw is a type of orthopedic implant that looks like a screw from a hardware store. An orthopedic screw, on the other hand, can have either a flat or a crosshead. The primary purpose of screws used in orthopedic implants is to create compression, which aids in the healing of the bones in the injured area. The screw is used to tighten damaged areas like the rotator cuff or torn labrum. Screws may also be used by an orthopedic surgeon to repair a fractured bone or to restore stability in a weak area. The screws can be permanently implanted. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes; for example, a reduction screw may have a thickness ranging from 4.5 to 8.5 millimeters.
- Plates
Orthopedic plates, which were first used to repair long bone fractures in 1886, are still widely used in orthopedic surgeries today. They are classified as follows:
Buttress plates: These are used to keep fractures in the knee and ankle together when there are large compressive and distorting forces. Buttress plates are contoured and may be L or T-shaped, and they can move with the body.
Neutralisation Plates: This is a type of plate that spans a fractured area. They distribute the load, allowing screws and other orthopedic implants to secure and stabilize the area.
Bridging plates: These orthopedic implants provide length and alignment while also helping to stabilize the area and promote secondary bone healing.
Tension Plates: These are wires that are used to secure an area while it heals.
Compression plates: Compression plates are metallic plates that are used to repair bones by applying dynamic pressure between bone fragments, promoting healing.
- Prostheses
Prosthesis is another type of orthopedic implant that is used to replace missing bones or joints. It can also be used to provide support to damaged bones. This implant, which is typically used for knees and hips, allows patients to regain physical strength and activity in a relatively short period of time. The surgeon may occasionally combine prosthetic materials with healthy bones to replace damaged or diseased bones or to completely replace certain parts of a bone.
Being a living tissue, a damaged bone usually heals by itself. The broken bone must, however, be kept in the appropriate position. To hold the shattered bone in place and put it in the proper and proper position, orthopedic implants such as nails are employed.
- Nails
Nails are the implants used in the fixation of fractures of long bones. These metal rods serve as an immobilization tool to hold the ends of the broken bone when they are put into the medullary canal. To meet various needs, many nail types have been created.
Intramedullary Nails System is a widely used orthopedic implant for various indications of treatment of fractures. Zealmax Ortho has a wide range of Locking Nail described below:
- Enders Nail
- Femur Interlocking Nail
- Humerus Interlocking Nail
- PFN Nail
- PFNA nail
- Proximal Femur Nail
- Proximal Femur Nail (130-135)
- Rush Nail
- Square Nail (Radius & Ulna)
- Supracondylar Tibia Interlocking Nail
Benefits of orthopedic implants
Accidental fractures, breakage, decay, and other bone-related ailments are very common and are reported in medical facilities on a daily basis. These are the most important surgical devices for providing support in the place of a decayed, broken, or missing joint or bone. Depending on the severity of the surgical procedure and operational requirements, these orthopedic devices can be implanted externally or internally. Orthopedic implants are available for a wide range of surgical needs, including operations on the skull, legs, joints, hands, waist, facial, and dental.
Risks of orthopedic implants
Obstacles associated with orthopedic implants include surgical risks during removal, failure during placement, and infection in the long run. Few patients experience adverse reactions or side effects from the materials used during and after implant surgery.
These kinds of issues can arise when your implant is implanted or removed. Infections, such as skin contamination and other health issues, are common. In severe infections, you may need to have a drain placed next to the implant, take medications, or have the medical implant removed.
Conclusion
For more than 15 years, Zealmax Innovations Pvt. Ltd. is a pioneer manufacturer & exporter of orthopedic implants. We utilize robotic manufacturing processes spread across 7,000 square meters to produce more than 100,000 implants per month as well as over 10,000 square feet area dedicated to human-focused quality checks to give the perfection you can bank upon every time.
Zealmax Ortho provides you with an all encompassing variety of orthopedic implants ranging from trauma, spine, arthroscopy, maxillofacial, hip processes, pelvic, hand and foot, external fixation, all in one place. We aim to combine superior technology & advanced skills to provide the best in quality and value to every individual through our products.
