1. Corrosion of Surgical Implants
University of Technology
Materials Eng. Department
Biomaterials And Biomedical Engineering
Corrosion of Surgical Implants

2. Biological Environment
Corrosion is one of the major processes that cause problems when metals and alloys are used as implants in the body.
Corrosion is the interaction between material and its environment
Biological Environment

4. Tissue–implant corrosion
The interactions between the material and the tissues are of prime importance. Such interactions induce corrosion/ionization of the implanted device.
Corrosion can have two effects.
First the implant may weaken and the premature failure will result. The second effect is the tissue reaction leading to the release of corrosion products from the implant.
Cells adhering to the surface
of a metallic biomaterial
M → Mn+ + ne
O2 + 4e + 2H2O → 4OHˉ
Influences of the presence of
fibroblasts on the corrosion
of metallic biomaterials

5. Generalized fibrous capsule forming in response to
intramuscularly implanted metal.
The metal dissolves in body over time rendering removal surgery

6. Capsule formation around a polydimethylsiloxane implant.
Cells in the periprosthesis tissues in the ankle. Counterstained with hematoxylin. (A): Macrophages (arrowheads) facing necrotic masses (N).
(B): Heavy macrophage infiltration in the implant capsule. (C): bone debris (B) surrounded with macrophages. (D): multinuclear foreign body giant cells (empty arrows) in the implant capsule

7. Peri-implant tissue and immune cell reacting of implant debris

8. Diagram of the percentage of the uncorroded implant at various time
 Infrared microscope spectra of tissue with (red line) and without (blue line) corrosion products. The absorption bands, which are caused by the corrosion products, are marked with arrows.
Diagram of the percentage of the uncorroded implant at various time
Potentiodynamic polarization

9. Material: 304 SS, Cobalt based alloy
Implant location: Orthopedic/ Dental alloy
Material: 316 L stainless steel
Implant location: Bone plates and screws
Material: 316 SS, CoCrNiFe
Implant location: Bone cement
Material: 304SS/316SS,
CoCr +Ti6Al4V,
316SS/Ti6Al4V Or CoCrMo
Implant location: Oral implants,
Screws and nuts
Material: Ti6Al4V, CoCr, SS
Implant location: Ball Joints

11. Corrosion of stent in bare metal.
Corrosion Various Implants
Cardiovascular Implants
Artificial heart.
Corroded
stents
Corrosion of stent in bare metal.

12. Corrosion protection Surface modification
There is a number of methods, which treat the surface of a metal or alloy to provide protection against corrosion like:
Biomimetic Processing.
Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD).
Glow discharge nitriding.
Ion implantation.
Thermal spraying.
PVD treatments.
Laser treatment.

13. Ion implantation

14. Hydroxyapatite coatings

15. Laser nitriding

16. Hard coatings for orthopaedic implants

17. Thanks