{"id":2167,"date":"2014-08-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/natalien12.sg-host.com\/2014\/08\/15\/implantable-orthopedic-technology-fact-or-science-fiction\/"},"modified":"2018-07-16T20:55:25","modified_gmt":"2018-07-16T20:55:25","slug":"implantable-orthopedic-technology-fact-or-science-fiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warnerorthopedics.com\/implantable-orthopedic-technology-fact-or-science-fiction\/","title":{"rendered":"Implantable Orthopedic Technology: Fact or Science-Fiction?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Bionic Woman and The Bionic Man were two of my favorite shows in the 1980\u2019s. Now, just 30-some years later, implantable and wearable orthopedic technology exists and may soon be widely available\u2013 at the mall or on Amazon.com.<\/p>\n

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As a follow-up to our earlier \u201cQuick Look at Smart Implants<\/a>\u201d post, we\u2019re digging in a bit more on the history of how these valuable research tools have evolved during the past 50+ years, how it\u2019s being used today, the benefits and advancements this technology has helped achieve in the field of orthopedics, and a vision for the future of implants.<\/p>\n

A Short History of Implantable Technology <\/strong><\/p>\n

Implantable technology in the biomechanical world has been around since the 1960\u2019s, with the first millimeter-sized strain gauges that were capable of sensing minute changes in pressure and motion. At the time, these strain gauges were the exclusive property of academic scientists, and couldn\u2019t be implanted without approval from a given institution\u2019s quasi-governmental \u201cInstitutional Review Board\u201d.<\/p>\n

The next generation of implantable devices was wireless and powered by a battery. However, the battery\u2019s bulk and limited shelf-life restricted its effectiveness. Without external recharging wires, such sensors and gauges were soon useless pieces of metal and plastic in the body.<\/p>\n

Modern \u201cSmart Implants\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n

What followed is today called a \u201csmart implant\u201d – a passively powered device that couples an external power source and internal antenna to transmit power and data back and forth from the environment to the device. Smart implants are considered relatively state-of-the-art and are valuable tools in researching and assessing the performance of implantable joints, stents and pacemakers.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, excessively complex manufacturing and implant procedures continue to limit their widespread adoption and use.<\/p>\n

Implantable Orthopedic Technology is Changing Today\u2019s Treatments and Diagnosis<\/strong><\/p>\n

What has implantable orthopedic technology taught us? So far, it\u2019s led to advancements in physical therapy, post-operative rehabilitation, and prosthesis design — specifically including:<\/p>\n