Titanium for Orthopedic Applications: An Overview of Surface Modification to Improve Biocompatibility and Prevent Bacterial Biofilm Formation

James Quinn; Ryan McFadden; Chi-Wai Chan; Louise Carson

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101745

Titanium for Orthopedic Applications: An Overview of Surface Modification to Improve Biocompatibility and Prevent Bacterial Biofilm Formation

iScience. 2020 Oct 28;23(11):101745. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101745. eCollection 2020 Nov 20.

Authors

James Quinn¹, Ryan McFadden², Chi-Wai Chan², Louise Carson¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK.
² School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, Ashby Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AH, UK.

Abstract

Titanium and its alloys have emerged as excellent candidates for use as orthopedic biomaterials. Nevertheless, there are often complications arising after implantation of orthopedic devices, most notably prosthetic joint infection and aseptic loosening. To ensure that implanted devices remain functional in situ, innovation in surface modification has attracted much attention in the effort to develop orthopedic materials with optimal characteristics at the biomaterial-tissue interface. This review will draw together metallurgy, surface engineering, biofilm microbiology, and biomaterial science. It will serve to appreciate why titanium and its alloys are frequently used orthopedic biomaterials and address some of the challenges facing these biomaterials currently, including the significant problem of device-associated infection. Finally, the authors shall consolidate and evaluate surface modification techniques employed to overcome some of these issues by offering a unique perspective as to the direction in which research is headed from a broad, interdisciplinary point of view.

Keywords: Biomaterials; Microbiofilms; Orthopedics; Surface Science.

Publication types

Review