Project
Laser based generation of bioactive surfaces for implants

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. mult. Dr. med. h.c. H. Haferkamp
Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.

Available implants for plastic functional reconstruction are presently with deficits in some areas. This concerns the loss by dissolution of the bone and a lack of growing on to adjacent bone structures. The problem is caused by the missing possibility to use humane bones for implanting (risk of infection, resorption), also. Therefore, the employment of alloplastical materials is demanded.

It is the aim to provide implants that are individually adapted to the patients for the plastic and functional reconstruction. The new implant technology is based on a titanium implant, whose surface is coated with bioabsorbable hydroxyl apatite. By the resorption of the hydroxyl apatite a joint between the titanium structure and the human bone will be formed.

For the generation of metallic bases the highly flexible manufacturing procedures of laser beam sintering and laser beam cladding will be used. These procedures allow the individual production of implants in the micro and the macro range. The appropriate structure parameters such as surface roughness or porosity and void structure as well as the morphologic parameters of the boundary surface can be adjusted in wide ranges.

The provided implants will be coated using a laser-based depositioning process. Thus, the depressions at the surface will be completely filled with the bioabsorbable hydroxyl apatite. Hydroxyl apatite activates the bone growth, so that it is replaced by the bone. Depending on the location it is absorbed within some weeks. In the context of the research project it is to be proven that the implant is joined firmly by a titanium bone matrix.

The PhD student is integrated into the department of “material and process technology” and will work in the context of the project “laser-based production of metallic endoprostheses with adapted elasticity”, which is part of the special research range “bioengineering” (SFB599).