Asian scientists develop ‘bone glue’ that heals fractures in minutes
Fractures usually take weeks or even months to heal, but new studies in China and South Korea appear to have cracked the code to rapid recovery with a medical “glue” that can mend bones in as little as three minutes.
Called Bone 02, the adhesive developed by a Chinese team in Zhejiang Province is reported to mend fractures in two to three minutes, forming a bond comparable to that of metal plates and screws.
Researchers said the glue could withstand more than 400 pounds of force, with a shear strength of about 0.5 MPa and compressive strength near 10 MPa, making it a potential alternative to implants and surgery.
Lin Xianfeng, associate chief orthopedic surgeon at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and the project’s lead researcher, said the team took inspiration from oysters, whose natural glue allows them to cling to bridge pylons underwater.
Bone 02 has been tested on more than 150 patients, according to local media Zhejiang Online.
In South Korea, scientists reported a similar breakthrough in bone-repair technology, re-engineering a standard arts-and-crafts glue gun to deliver a specialized bone-healing compound.
The team at Sungkyunkwan University developed an “in situ printing system” that loads the gun with hydroxyapatite. a mineral found in human bones. and polycaprolactone, a biocompatible plastic with a low melting point.
Researchers said the handheld device offered greater surgical precision and allowed procedures to be completed more quickly. In tests on rabbits with severe leg fractures, the method produced fewer infections, faster operations and better bone regrowth.
Findings of the South Korean study can be viewed on the online technologies journal Device.
Developments like these could transform one of the most common surgical needs worldwide. An estimated 6.8 million people break a bone each year, many of which are resolved through traditional surgical (metal and rod implants) and non-surgical (casts, splints or braces) methods.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
