Development of additively manufactured highly porous implantable devices that promote post-surgical wound healing and a biological transcutaneous seal: Testing of implant material and internal pore geometry in a porcine model
Principal Investigator: James Weber (Food and Agriculture, UMaine)
Partners: Ian Dickey (Eastern Maine Medical Center); David Neivandt (Chemisty & Biological Engineering, UMaine); Anne Lichtenwalner (Food and Agriculture, UMaine)
Abstract: This project will complete a controlled in vivo study of University of Maine-designed medical implants in a porcine model of skin healing. If successful, the proposed study would revolutionize the medical implant industry because currently available transcutaneous implants suffer high rates of post-surgical infections from superficial bacteria that migrate into deeper tissues. The proposed work supports economic development in the Maine biomedical industries by establishing UMaine and our collaborators at Eastern Maine Medical Center as “Centers of Excellence” in clinical testing of porous materials in human surgical implants.