ZURICH, Switzerland, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Swiss medical scientists say they have developed a metallic glass implant for internal bone mending that would safely biodegrade within the body.
That would eliminate the need for implant-removal surgery and sidestep permanent implants' long-term negative effects, Swissinfo reported Friday.
"In bone surgery, the implant should stabilize the bones for as long as they need to heal and then dissolve in the body so that surgical removal is not necessary," said Jorg Loffler, professor of metal physics and technology at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
Traditional magnesium alloys used for internal mending of bones produce hydrogen when they dissolve, and the gas bubbles can hinder bone growth and healing and cause infection, Loffler said.
But he said his research team has eliminated that drawback by producing the metallic glass -- made of a magnesium-zinc-calcium alloy -- that degrades without creating the bubbles.
The new implants need more clinical testing over the next few years, Loffler said.
