Case study 3 – Medical device for Children with Bone Fragility
Children with bone fragility often present with reduced bone mass, frequent fractures, and progressive skeletal deformities. These can affect the spine and long bones, but also critically impact the hip joint, leading to pain and instability, to limited mobility and inability to seat. Hip deformities in this population are common and vary in severity due to impaired bone modeling and the biomechanical consequences of skeletal weakness. Instable hips therefore often require surgical correction to restore alignment and load transfer through the entire hip joint. The use of resorbable implants in this context provides a key advantage: it reduces the long-term presence of hardware in skeletally immature patients, potentially lowering the risk of implant-related complications and eliminating the need for subsequent removal procedures. This approach supports both immediate mechanical stabilization and long-term biological integration as the child grows.
Main goals
Biodegradable implants present a valuable option in paediatric orthopaedic surgery that enable fracture stabilization, bone consolidation alongside with bone engraftment providing optimal clinical outcomes. Hence, the OrphaDev4Kids Project will support the development of an absorbable biocompatible implant with a paediatric indication for the treatment of weakened, fragile and deformed pelvis. The proposed absorbable implant, made of materials of natural origin combining magnesium, zinc and calcium will ensure support and a more natural in growth onto a weakened, fragile and fractured bone. The proposed MD, ideated by an academic research group, is at its preliminary phase of development.