CPG researcher Stephen Spiegelberg was the 2012 receipient of the ASTM Leroy Wyman award for engineering contributions to the field of medical device standards.
The clincial results of a navigation system invented by Dr. Gavin Braithwaite were presented at the Australian Orthopedic Conference this month. The system allows improved placement of the acetabular cup in a total hip replacement. The paper "Clinical Assessment of a Smart Tool to Monitor Pelvic Position in Total Hip Replacement Patients" was presented by Dr. Henrik Malchau from the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Iconacy Orthopedic Implants, a privately held medical device company in Warsaw, IN, received FDA clearance to market their highly crosslinked UHMWPE prepared using the CIMA process developed at Cambridge Polymer Group and the Massachusetts General Hospital. CIMA is a patented highly crosslinked, low wear and oxidation-resistant ultra high molecular weight polyethylene that is non-exclusively licensed to Iconacy for use in their I-Hip total hip replacement technology.
CPG researchers presented a web conference on hydrogels in biomedical applications on August 7, 11:30 am EST.
In this audio conference presentation, our speaker discusses the increased use of hydrogels in biomedical applications, outlining what they are, their properties, and why they may have value in several biomedical applications, including orthopedics and spine. The presentation discusses potential applications, and looks at tissue models based on hydrogels for testing and training. Finally, attendees learn what issues have to be addressed in designing and using these materials, including concerns about how to test these soft, viscoelastic materials reliably in regimes relevant for their application.
Dr. Gavin Braithwaite presented CPG research on the use of hydrogels in biomedical devices at the Orthotec conference in Warsaw, IN on June 5, 2012. This presentation focused on general formulations of hydrogels, as well as specific applications in spinal therapies.
CPG researcher Stephen Spiegelberg wrote an article for BoneZone on the use of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene for total joint arthroplasties. In this article, the history of the development of UHMWPE is discussed, up to the current generation of highly crosslinked, antioxidant-stabilized UHMWPE components.
Dr. Gavin Braithwaite was an invited speaker at the TA Instruments user meeting in New Orleans on April 29, 2012. He spoke about novel methods of rheometry developed at Cambridge Polymer Group to quantify sensory perceptions of products through the use of tack, friction, and flow rheometry.
An Australian patent for methods of generating highly crosslinked UHMWPE containing Vitamin E was issued to researchers at Cambridge Polymer Group and the Massachusetts General Hospital. See “Methods for Making Oxidation Resistant Polymeric Material,” Australian Patent 2008240320.
The FDA has cleared ECiMA, a highly crosslinked polyethylene containing Vitamin E, for use in hip arthroplasties. ECiMA is sold by Corin, and was developed by researchers at Cambridge Polymer Group and the Massachusetts General Hospital. This technology is available for license.
CPG now offers quantitative radiopacity analysis compliant with ASTM F640 "Standard Test Methods for Determining the Radiopacity for Medical Use." In this method, the medical device is imaged with a conventional X-ray system, and the image density contrast is quantified with a densitometer.