Biofunctionalization of 3D-Printed Metal Alloys as a Newly Emerging Strategy to Diminish Undesired Effects of Orthopedic Implants

The unprecedented ageing of the world’s population, along with the growing prevalence of obesity have accelerated the need for medical implants that started to dominate global healthcare costs. For this reason, high performance implantable biomaterials are in extremely high demand. In reality, not even an ideal artificial material can completely fulfill the characteristics of the human tissues and can only be a compromise, which is why all implanted medical devices suffer from recognized risks of “device-related” infections. Developing strategies and solutions to avoid or minimize undesired side effects in the use of medical implants is still a partially unsolved challenge. The ultimate goal is that the recognition of the implant as a foreign body is impaired, usually by a careful choice of the external layer, thus minimizing the initial inflammatory cell response. The objective of this project proposal is to develop novel bioactive multifunctional coatings on 3D-printed orthopedic implants. These complex coatings will be based on a combination of naturally occurring biocompatible polysaccharides to increase the osseointegration of implants and to provide additional (bio)functionality for incorporation of various therapeutic agents, namely antibiotic(s), immunomodulator(s), and anticoagulant(s). Such combination of therapeutic agents will therefore enable tissue integration, prevent infections, and provide local thromboprophylaxis, while promoting implant’s osseointegration, durability, and corrosion resistance. The developed solution will enable “all-in-one” treatment, and more importantly, extend durability of implanted materials, leading to a decrease in revision surgeries and thereby a decrease in morbidity and mortality. In order to achieve the presented objective, profound insight of the interaction phenomena between the functionalized substrate material, the (active) multifunctional coating and the biological environment is essential. This can only be accomplished by the use of state-of-the-art interdisciplinary characterization techniques and approaches. Particularly, knowledge of interaction phenomena that enable reverse manipulation and optimization of the coatings and substrates, in order to achieve the desired functional and structural properties of the final products.