Fraunhofer lead project: “Theranostic Implants”
Currently, purely passive implants are dominating, for example bone plates. Intelligent “Theranostic Implants” are gaining more and more importance, because they combine diagnostics and therapy in one medical product. They measure vital parameters in a closed loop and take therapeutic measures on that basis. Theranostic implants have to operate inside a body over many years in a stable manner even though they are impacted by the steadily growing cells in a warm and humid environment. This presents a great challenge for the development of highly complex systems comprised of sensors and actuators that should be as small as possible. The choice of the three demonstrators was geared towards diseases that cause a high share in the German healthcare system. This includes cardiovascular diseases, diseases in the skeleton and neuromuscular disorders.