Titanium 2010's medical panel discusses applications, advances in healthcare

Prof. Lyle Zardiackas, professor emeritus, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, will serve as the moderator for the first of two speaker panels addressing titanium’s advances in the field of healthcare. Allegheny Technologies Incorporated will sponsor the session.

Zardiackas and his University of Mississippi Medical Center associates – Michael D. Roach, doctoral student in biomedical materials science and Randall “Scott” Williamson, graduate studies in biomedical materials science – will begin the discussion by presenting a paper on “Recent Advancements in Laboratory Instrumentation and Analysis Techniques to Characterize Fatigue Mechanisms in Metallic Alloys.”

As stated in an abstract preview, recent advancements in laboratory instrumentation and advanced evaluation techniques available for materials characterization are greatly advancing the knowledge base on fatigue mechanisms in a variety of materials. The combination of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis at selected intervals throughout the fatigue life of a sample provides valuable information on the slip and crack initiation mechanisms taking place.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and International Governmental Agencies Role in Materials for Medical and Surgical Devices” will be presented by Donald E. Marlowe. Marlowe is recently retired from the FDA, Silver Spring, MD, where he served as the agency standards coordinator. Product approval, particularly medical device approval, as performed by the FDA, should be viewed as from the perspective of risk management – the assessment of the risks and benefits to patients and users of the device, according to Marlowe. He will review the current regulatory picture on both sides of the Atlantic and the importance of standards in medical product risk management.

Prof. Jack E. Lemons, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham, will discuss the “Current state of Titanium and Titanium Alloys for Biomedical Applications.” Titanium has evolved from multiple sources and properties to standardized biomaterials that are selected by composition and properties for multiple types of surgical implants.
Current clinical applications exceed 1 million devices per year within several surgical specialties. Importantly, clinical outcome assessments of longevity for treatments utilizing titanium often exceed decades, with some devices remaining in clinical function for the lifetimes of patients treated. According to Lemons, national and international reviews indicate that biomedical applications of synthetic-origin biomaterials, including titanium, will expand in the coming years as populations age and demand an enhanced quality of life.

Another presentation by University of Mississippi Medical Center representatives will explore “Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) Characterization of Elevated and Nominal Oxygen Weight Percent α+β Ti-15 Molybdenum.” SCC research was conducted on both an experimental elevated oxygen weight percent (0.74%) heat and a nominal oxygen weight percent (0.13%) heat of α+β Ti-15 molybdenum. SCC testing was conducted using the slow-extension rate methodology outlined in ASTM G129 in both smooth and notched sample configurations. Both smooth and notched samples were tested in distilled de-ionized water and in Ringer’s solution at physiological temperature (37°C).

The International Titanium Association (ITA) is the host and sponsor of TITANIUM 2010, which is designed to suit the needs of titanium producers, suppliers, customers, and stakeholders. For more information visit titanium.org or call Jennifer Simpson 303.404.2221.