Michael Avaltroni

Biography

Because Americans are living longer and leading increasingly active lifestyles, orthopedic joint replacements are becoming a common surgical procedure. While hundreds of thousands of hip and knee replacements are performed annually, few patients are aware of the potential problems and risks that this surgical procedure can entail. Over 10% of implants fail within the first year after surgery, and serious post-operative infection risk is becoming a side effect of increasing frequency. In fact, post operative “staph” (Staphylococcus aureus) infections were observed in nearly 45% of patients who underwent orthopedic procedures during the past year. Many of these bacterial infections are resistant to common antibiotics, and the result has been an observed 35% increase in post-surgical mortality.

Research Interest

Our current research has developed methods to improve integration of implants into the body, potentially offering a significant reduction in failure rate, post surgical side effects and infection risk. Through the use of surface chemistry, implants can be coated with materials which perfectly integrate the device into the surrounding bone and tissue, creating a “perfect fit” and eliminating the potential side effects that result from poor osteointegration (attachment of the existing bone to the implant surface). Recent in vivo testing has showed a 300% improvement of implant strength and integration over the current industry standard following surgical implantation within a rabbit model. Continued research in this area is being conducted to develop an implant that exhibits this increased strength in conjunction with a resistance to bacterial infection.