Bioresorbable Plates and Screws for Clinical Applications: A Review

Bioresorbable implants are being widely used for fracture fixation in orthopaedic surgery and the market is expanding rapidly worldwide. Bioresorbable materials slowly dissolve in the human body, such that a second operation to remove the synthetic material is not needed. Bioresorbable implants have expanded the armamentarium of the surgeon, especially in the field of sports medicine. Interference screws, plates, pins, suture anchors, meniscal repair implants, and simple fracture fixation implants are the most commonly used resorbable implants for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, shoulder surgery, meniscal repair, and fracture care. However, many clinicians continue to rely on metal fixation, mainly due to the high mechanical strength and to the complications reported with some of the available resorbable implant materials. The goal of the present paper is to present an overview on the available resorbable materials and their applications with a particular focus on new developments and trends in the field.