Patent attributes
The present invention relates to an orthopaedic implant, such as a bone plate, for the fixation of bone where the implant also has at least one microchip and at least one sensor connected to the microchip. The sensor or sensors are configured to receive physical stimulus from a portion of the implant or the patient's tissue such as temperature, pressure, and strain. The information received from the sensor or sensors is gathered by the microchip and transmitted to a receiver, such as a personal computer, outside the patient. This information enables doctors to diagnose the useful life of the implant, the load sharing of the bone plate, and possible complications typically associated with orthopaedic implants such as infection, fracture non-union, and fatigue. The implant may also have one or more electrodes located on its surface which emit an electric current to stimulate healing of the broken or fractured bone.
