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AI + AM used to make custom finger joint implants

Joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, or those resulting from injuries, can cause physical suffering and even ruin the career of professionals who require great skill in their work.

But thanks to a consortium of specialists from the Fraunhofer institute, AI and some good 3D printing, there may be some hope in the offing.

Contents show
1 FingerKit Consortium
2 The problem with implants
3 Optimal customized solution
4 a hopeful future
4.1 3D printing for spines

FingerKit Consortium

The FingerKIt Consortium, which brings together five Fraunhofer institutes, uses AI to develop custom 3D-printed joint implants so that these delicate finger parts can be replaced when necessary.

The institutes in question are the Institution of Additive Manufacturing Technologies (IAPT), the Institute of Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), the Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine (ITEM), the Institute of Materials Mechanics (IWM) and the Institute of Digital Medicine (MEVIS).

Each group has brought experience from their own particular domain to the project which offers a way forward for patients with various joint related ailments.

3D modeled by AI and printed to custom size (Image credit: Fraunhofer Institute)

The problem with implants

At the moment, if a finger joint loses its function due to an accident or injury, treatment methods are limited.

In most cases, a joint fusion procedure is carried out.

This process, also known as arthrodesis, is usually accomplished by surgery. During the procedure, the damaged joint is manually straightened, the cartilage is removed, and the bones are stabilized long enough for them to fuse together naturally.

This results in a finger that does not bend, and as you can imagine, this can significantly reduce patient quality.

In cases where traditional implants are used, the options are limited. Patients may opt for a silicone implant, which has the risk of becoming loose and requiring additional surgery to correct. Or, patients can opt for a standard implant, which, as you can tell from the name, is only available in certain standard sizes and does not fully restore full range of motion to the finger in question.

Optimal customized solution

The optimal solution, therefore, is one that avoids these two pitfalls associated with the traditional implant. In other words, the best joint is the one that does not loosen and also allows the full range of movement of the finger to be recovered. For this, a custom solution is best.

And this is what the FingerKIt Consortium has successfully demonstrated with its AI-assisted 3D printed joints.

The workflow developed by Fraunhofer engineers and scientists is largely automated and eliminates much of the hands-on work associated with such highly customized work.

Researchers have developed software that uses AI to convert 2D X-ray images into 3D models of the bones and joints of the fingers. Any correction of ruined joints can be virtually corrected in the 3D model.

The Fraunhofer IAPT researchers (AM group) then use AI to derive the individual implant design from the finger model and submit it for 3D printing.

A metal binder blast process is then used to fabricate the replacement gaskets at high resolution. After that, the green parts are sent for sintering, where Fraunhofer IKTS engineers solidify and densify them. The almost net-like part can then be sent for finishing to reduce friction and allow for better movement when implanted in the patient.

“Since the structure of the implant shaft is very delicate, we have chosen to use the metal bond injection 3D printing method for titanium,” said Dr. Philipp Imgrund, head of the AM Process Qualification department at Fraunhofer IAPT.

“This method allows for extremely precise production of small and complex implants and also allows us to structure the surface of the shaft in such a way that it grows into the bone more effectively. Furthermore, this minimizes the finishing work required for the joint surfaces, which need to be as smooth and frictionless as possible.”

Fraunhofer IKTS (the ceramics group) has also demonstrated the use of ceramic materials for the manufacture of the implants, which are processed by slip-moulding.

The Fraunhofer ITEM (toxicology group) has taken care of the biocompatibility of the materials and the certification of the implants, while Fraunhofer IWM (materials mechanics group) has been in charge of the mechanical simulation of the parts.

a hopeful future

The Fraunhofer consortium’s new workflow can produce and implement highly customized parts in just 60% of the time it would normally take to produce with traditional means. This means that the entire process, from X-ray to implant, could be completed in as little as a few days. This would result in shorter hospital days and therefore also reduce hospitalization costs.

And this workflow isn’t just good for bent fingers. It can be applied to patients who have missing bones or smaller joints as well.

This is good news for many. According to the German Rheumatology Society, about two percent of the adult population in Germany suffers from inflammatory rheumatic diseases that could be treated with the Fraunhofer process.

“FingerKIt could completely change the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, for example. Custom implants could become the gold standard,” Imgrund said.

Technological development within the FingerKIt project has now reached a point of maturity to the point that the product/process is ready for the market.

The consortium is now working to obtain the necessary approvals and is also seeking corporate partnerships in the medical engineering sector, which can help bring FingerKIt to market.

related story

3D printing for spines

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