Advancements in Orthopedics
The world of orthopedics has seen revolutionary advancements right from the very beginning. In fact, many discoveries of the mid-20th century reached fruition in the early 21st century. One such discovery is what is called Bone Matrix Protein or BMP. In 1965 , Dr. Marshall Urist, M . D ., discovered that decalcified bone matrix induced new bone growth. This wonder protein , after a long development , finally got the FDA approval for use in the mending of non-fus ion long bones in the year 1975. Eventually, in the year 2002, the FDA gav e its approval for rhBMP-2 for single-level spine fusion. Two years later , the FDA gave its clearance for Osteogenic protein 1 P utty for spinal fusion and next month approval was gran ted for the use of rhBMP-2 for the treatment of acute open fissure fracture of the shaft of the tibia . This revolutionized the treatment of non-union fractures. Joint designs Joint replacements are not without problems and failures which necessitate revision surgeries. One of the main challen ges is to avoid infections. Bearing surface wear and tear, their displacement and corrosion were challenges faced and are being overcome in varying degrees. Joint designs have moved from metal on metal to metal on polyethylene and back to metal on metal .