Recent advances on the development of magnesium alloys for biodegradable implants

Comparative mechanical and corrosion studies on magnesium, zinc and iron alloys as biodegradable metals

“…Appropriate alloying of Mg, Zn and Fe can positively modify their mechanical, corrosion and physical properties, which are important for potential medical applications. In the available literature many alloying elements are proposed for these purposes, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] but in this study Mg-RE (RE = rare earth metals, Gd, Nd, Y), Zn-Mg and Fe-Mn based alloys were selected, because all these alloying systems are generally considered as relatively safe and acceptable for a potential medical use. 3 …”

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Iron is also an essential element for proper biological functions, mainly for the transfer of oxygen by blood. 13 The recommended daily value of Fe is about 10 mg. 6 Regarding the biocompatibility of iron-based alloys, there are a number of reported results, [14][15][16] but they are often controversial. In order to explain the discrepancies between biocompatibility tests, more in-vitro and in-vivo experiments are needed.…”

“…It is essential for proper biological functions of the human body. Its recommended daily value is about 400 mg. 6 Magnesium supports the growth of the bone tissue, heart functions, the neurologic system, etc. [7][8][9][10] Overdoses of magnesium are unlikely to occur because the metal absorption is efficiently controlled by the metabolism and excess amounts are excreted by the kidneys.…”

Long-term clinical study and multiscale analysis of in vivo biodegradation mechanism of Mg alloy

“…The recent rapid growth of the elderly demographic of physically active adults has tremendously intensified the occurrence of bone trauma cases, highlighting once again the major drawbacks of current surgical approaches and osteosynthesis systems, such as inevitable secondary surgery to remove the inert fixation devices after complete bone healing and inflammatory response due to the release of metal ions. In the past decade, countless studies have been performed to control and optimize the mechanical and corrosion properties of magnesium-based alloys (6)(7)(8)(9), which, thanks to their degradation in the physiological environment, could overcome the limitations of inert implant materials and shift the paradigm of conventional bone fixation devices toward new horizons. Driven by these new possibilities, important findings regarding, among others, the degradation mechanism of Mg-based alloys (10,11), the formation of corrosion protective layers by degradation products (12,13), and the osteogenetic properties of Mg ions (14,15) have been reported in the literature.…”

Biodegradation of Pure Magnesium and Bone Tissue Reaction in Rabbit Femur 1 Year Results of 3D Micro-CT Monitoring and Histological Observation

“…They have thus attracted great attention as biodegradable metal materials. [1][2][3][4][5][6] In cardiovascular surgery and digestive surgery, they have been experimentally applied for short-term use as coronary stents, staplers and suture wires. 7,8) They work as small internal devices in soft tissue and are fully absorbed at an early stage.…”