However, implants that must remain in a person\u2019s body for a long period of time can cause new problems that may be difficult to counteract. Whenever a foreign object like an implant is placed inside a person\u2019s body, the body immediately reacts to it. After an extended period of time, these reactions can cause the implant to become caked with minerals and plaque, or loosen from bone. These deposits can trigger potential health problems and require the devices to be replaced, therefore posing health risks and increasing costs. Background Project: BIOELECTRICSURFACE Medical implants have helped save or improve countless lives. From heart valves and artificial joints, to bone plates and stents for blood vessels, these biomedical implants have revolutionised medical care in recent years. However, implants that must remain in a person\u2019s body for a long period of time can cause new problems that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","geographic_location":[],"collaboration_opportunities":[97,100],"technologies":[],"class_list":["post-1245","success_story","type-success_story","status-publish","hentry","collaboration_opportunities-academia","collaboration_opportunities-government"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Medical implants have helped save or improve countless lives. From heart valves and artificial joints, to bone plates and stents for blood vessels, these biomedical implants have revolutionised medical care in recent years.<\/strong>
![\"BIOELECTRICSURFACE\"](\"https:\/\/innovationisrael.org.il\/files-en\/inline-images\/BIOELECTRICSURFACE.jpg\")
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The BioElectricSurface researchers have made significant progress towards solving these problems. Funded by the European Union (EU), the BioElectricSurface project has achieved breakthroughs that can lower health risks, reduce patients\u2019 pain and shorten their hospital stays.
The BioElectricSurface team succeeded in developing materials that prevent minerals from building up on devices after they are implanted.
\u201cWe have acquired a new understanding of how these devices interact with the body,\u201d says project coordinator Tofail Syed of Ireland\u2019s University of Limerick. \u201cThe new coatings and materials we developed to make devices last longer are expected to benefit a wide range of patients in the long-run,\u201d he adds.
To address these challenges, the project team devised techniques to study, at the nanometre level (one-billionth of a meter), how electrical charges on the surface of implants interact with the body. The research led to breakthroughs that will extend the life of various biomedical devices.
The project also made breakthroughs in developing plaque-resistant cardiovascular stents, faster-healing bone implants, and stone-free urinary stents. The project\u2019s partner in Poland developed cardiovascular stents with a new coating that blocks the formation of plaque while also preventing blood clots.
\u201cThanks to the technologies we developed, stents will be able to stay inside the body longer,\u201d comments Syed. \u201cThis is expected to reduce the number of replacements needed and the potential trauma for the patient.\u201d
In a different direction, partners of the BioElectricSurface project developed textiles that can kill a \u201csuperbug\u201d \u2013 an antibiotic-resistant strain of the Staphylococcus bacteria. To achieve this, researchers applied nanomaterials \u2013 particles a thousand times smaller than a human hair \u2013 to hospital drapes, bed linens and upholstery. The new material has the potential to improve the cleanliness of hospitals and therefore reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections.
BioElectricSurface project generated four patent applications, including one filed with project partner US-based COOK Medical, the world\u2019s largest privately owned medical device company. \u201cThe commercial impact of our scientific work has been impressive,\u201d concludes Syed.
This innovation was made possible by Israel\u2019s continued participation in the official Horizon 2020 fund, managed in Israel by ISERD part of The Israel Innovation Authority (Formerly the Office of the Chief Scientist and MATIMOP). The initiative has taken Israeli R&D to the next level with the help of ground-breaking collaboration between scientists in Israel and Europe, as well as essential funding and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Project details<\/strong>
Project acronym: <\/strong>BIOELECTRICSURFACE
Participants:<\/strong> Ireland (Coordinator), Poland, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Romania, Israel
FP7 Proj. N\u00b0<\/strong> 212533
Total costs:<\/strong> \u20ac 4 996 254
EU contribution: <\/strong>\u20ac 3 540 643
Duration:<\/strong> October 2008 – September 2011<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"