Silver is worth its weight in gold for implants: Martin Schulze accepted into the Innovate! academy
Münster (mfm/jg) - Your own body already causes enough problems - but what if the knee prosthesis also becomes infected? In order to prevent such cases, Priv.-Doz. Dr. Dr. Martin Schulze from the University of Münster is leading a research team that is developing anti-infective coatings for implants. He has now been accepted into the Innovate! academy of the Joachim Herz Foundation, which is funding the project with 250,000 euros over two years.
The “race for surface” begins as soon as an implant is inserted: The body's own cells and bacteria fight to see who reaches the implant surface first. “If the bacteria win this race, an infection can develop,” explains Schulze, who not only heads the project but also the research area of experimental orthopaedics. The infection rate for tumor prostheses is up to 20 percent and rises to up to 40 percent after revision surgery; the infections are often severe. “We are therefore working on new materials that will both prevent implants from becoming infected and offer better treatment options in the event of infections,” says Schulze.
Click here for the article (German)
