Implant regeneration and life cycle management

Arthrosis of the knee can drastically affect the patient’s quality of life. In this case, artificial joint replacement is a final treatment option in which the joint surfaces are replaced with an artificial prosthesis. Compared to hip endoprostheses, the survival time of knee implants is shorter, and more than 15,000 cases per year in Germany alone require a second operation (revision surgery). In order to detect dysfunction of (knee-) prostheses during their use in patients and prevent further damage, new methods must be developed to specifically monitor the wear of the implants.

The aim of this sub-project is the development of concepts for the early detection of defective implants in order to reduce complications and avoid complete revisions through the targeted preservation of prosthesis parts.

Wear patterns of knee prostheses that have already been revised are to be physically analyzed in order to create a system of faulty components. Artificial wear patterns will also be generated in a simulator in order to understand the effects of prosthesis alignment and to check the reliability of the wear markers integrated into the prosthesis. In addition, novel methods based on X-ray stereometry are being evaluated that enable precise wear measurement with very low radiation exposure. The results and associated information are stored in a digital twin of the implant. Digital Implant Lifecycle Management (DILM) is to be set up for this purpose, making it possible to record, store, combine and use data from different phases of the lifecycle. In future, the DILM should enable quality control and automated planning of revision operations for implants.