Saga University and Kyocera Medical (Osaka City) announced that they will sell a jointly developed highly antibacterial artificial hip joint from April 2016.We have jointly developed a biologically safe antibacterial artificial hip joint that has both high antibacterial properties and bone compatibility through bone conduction experiments and in-vivo bacterial infection experiments.By applying low-toxicity silver to the surface, the product has antibacterial properties, and is expected to prevent postoperative infectious diseases.
Professor Masaaki Mawatari of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Saga University School of Medicine focused on silver, which is a material that exerts a high bactericidal action against various bacteria, has low side reactions, and is less likely to generate resistant bacteria.As a result of researching the amount of silver that can exert its power and the coating method, hydroxyapatite (HA), which has excellent osteoconductivity, contains silver oxide, and a small amount of silver is sprayed on the implant surface at a high heat of 2700 ° C. Developed the technology.This "silver HA sprayed coating" exerts a strong bactericidal action against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is the largest causative agent of artificial joint infection, and inhibits the formation of biofilm.Furthermore, in a clinical trial of 20 people, no infectious disease was observed even after more than one and a half years, and the data that the concentration of silver dissolved in the blood was within the normal range for one year was obtained.As a result of showing high safety, manufacturing approval was obtained by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in September 1, and insurance coverage was decided in December. In April 1, it was the first in the world to be sold in Japan.
It is necessary to collect and verify a large amount of data on how much the infectious diseases have been reduced by the widespread use of this artificial joint in the future.In the future, it is expected that this technology will be applied not only to artificial joints but also to spinal implants, osteosynthesis materials, artificial tooth roots, etc.
