IIT-Kanpur designs polymer-based knee joint

The biological science and bio-engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has successfully designed an artificial knee joint composed of polymer products. The knee joints used in transplantation till now are made from metals alloys which leave excruciating pain after surgery, apart from being needed to get replaced after stipulated time.

Department professor, Ashok Kumar said the newly discovered polymer used in artificial joint would decompose automatically after two months of the surgery, while the cartilage would continue to function properly even after.

“We have tested the product in laboratory and now its biological acceptability will be tested on rats, rabbits and goats before clearing the decks for human surgeries. The final result can be expected to emerge within a year,” he elaborated.

This is the first time such a polymer-based joint has been made in the country. The project was started three years ago, when the Medical Council of India (MCI) observed an unprecedented rise in the number of knee joint ailments. The institute’s bio-engineering department then decided to take up the challenge to find an alternative to the short- lived metal joints being used currently.

“After three years of intensive research, we have been able to savour success with the help of leading medical practitioners of the region,” said Kumar.

The entire biological testing is being carried out in association with the leading medical specialists of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College (GSVM), Kanpur and Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute (SGPGI), Lucknow . These doctors have also expressed astonishment over the discovery of this new compound.