Biomaterials in Hand Surgery

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

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2. Fundamentals of Biomaterials

   • P. Tranquilli Leali, A. Merolli

   Pages 1-11

3. Potential Applications of Tissue Engineering in Hand Surgery

   • M. Santin

   Pages 13-29

4. The Finite Element Method for the Design of Biomedical Devices

   • F. Mollica, L. Ambrosio

   Pages 31-45

5. Prostheses for the Joints of the Hand

   • A. Merolli

   Pages 47-68

6. Causes of Failure in Flexible Metacarpophalangeal Prostheses

   • T. J. Joyce

   Pages 69-82

7. Prosthetic Surgery of Metacarpophalangeal Joints in Rheumatoid Patients: An Open Problem

   • F. Catalano

   Pages 83-94

8. Requirements for a Metacarpophalangeal Joint Prosthesis for Rheumatoid Patients and Suggestions for Design

   • A. Merolli

   Pages 95-106

9. Research Trends for Flexor Tendon Repair

   • S. Thomopoulos

   Pages 107-125

10. Peripheral Nerve Regeneration by Artificial Nerve Guides

    • A. Merolli, L. Rocchi

    Pages 127-143

Biomaterials are used in many areas of medicine, particularly in surgery and d- tistry. In orthopedic surgery, total hip arthroplasty has been extremely successful, and has been called ‘the operation of the 20th century’. Total hip arthroplasty is r- tinely performed every day in most orthopedic departments. Over the last decades, many efforts have been made to better integrate the components within the recipient bones, to decrease the friction at the prosthetic interface, and to minimize wear. Minimally invasive procedures have been developed, and various designs are inte- ed to preserve as much as possible of the bone stock of young patients. By contrast, the clinical results have been less favorable after various hand and wrist joint replacements. Many early designs have failed, the clinical data of the current pr- theses are frequently quite limited, and there is often insufficient biomechanical information available, although trapezio-metacarpal arthroplasty in particular has become quite popular in recent years. In order to promote progress in hand and wrist arthroplasty, Antonio Merolli and Thomas J. Joyce have edited this lovely book, whose chapters discuss current research and recent advances in hand and wrist arthroplasty. The problems of metacarpophalangeal joint prostheses are particularly developed.

• Engineering in hand surgery
• Joint prostheses
• Metacarpophalangeal
• Orthopedic surgery
• biomaterial
• biomaterials
• hand
• implant
• joint
• rheumatoid arthritis
• surgery
• tissue
• tissue engineering
• rehabilitation psychology

• Orthopaedics and Hand Surgery, The Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy

  Antonio Merolli

• School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

  Thomas J. Joyce

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