Patient-specific, anti-microbial bioactive finger implants for durable functional reconstruction after amputation - fingerIMPLANT

Project summary

Finger amputation is final surgery after traumatic injury, if replantation fails due to severe tissue damage. However, absence of even a single finger and thumb (~15.000 patients/year in EU) results in major disability (precise grasping, grip power) and strongly impacts life of frequently young victims. Currently, toe-to-hand transfer is only available microsurgical reconstruction. Closing this gap is aim of our R&D group by combining (1) patient-tailored finger bone & joint implants (fingerIMPLANT target) and (2) nerve grafts during soft tissue reconstruction to retrieve sensation. fingerIMPLANT joins scientific and industrial specialists in advanced “3D-printing” of high-elastic metals (beta-titanium) and non-wearing ceramics without ossification (Al2O3-ZrO2) for implants, in anti-microbial hydroxyapatite coatings for their optimized integration into bone, and in microsurgery for creating templates for future straightforward implant construction from CT images prior to 3D-printing.