What is peek implant and it 's application in medical area?

 PEEK implants had been used since the 1990s, and it was widely advertised as a biomaterial for implants in April 1998. The initial use o of PEEK implants was for orthopedic purposes especially spinal surgery.

We go straight to the PEEK definition; Polyether ether ketone, abbreviated as PEEK, is a semi-crystalline organic thermoplastic polymer. The outstanding properties of PEEK, such as high durability, low moisture absorption, bone-like modulus, load-bearing, thermal resistance, flexibility, toughness, etc. making it a popular and standard biomaterial.

History of PEEK Implant

PEEK, was first developed for aerospace purposes in 1978. It was widely used in different industries such as aerospace, healthcare, food and beverage, chemical and Pharmaceutical, etc. PEEK had emerged as an alternative for metal implants by the late 1990s, and it was widely advertised as a biomaterial for implants in April 1998. The initial use o of these implants was for orthopedic purposes especially spinal surgery.

PEEK Application in Healthcare and Medical Area

PEEK is widely used in medical and healthcare solutions. It was first used as a spinal implant in 1999 and now orthopedic is a growing field of PEEK application. PEEK is widely used for spinal implants as the durability and resistance of PEEK implants resemble the characteristics of bone. PEEK implants decrease the risk of osteolysis, lessen the weight and stress shielding. As spinal arthroplasty devices, specifically for spinal artificial discs, are a good replacement for cobalt-chromium molybdenum or metal. They help the movement of the spine and they withstand a load of the body without breaking. It is also used in other orthopedic surgeries such as hip replacements because of its high strength.

PEEK is also used in making bone screws and pins as they can fix the bone in place and help the patients recover.

PEEK is widely used in dental equipment manufacturing, such as handles on dental syringes, and in dental implants (superstructure, implant abutment, or implant body). As a light weighted and strong materials, PEEK implants are suitable for oral cavities and are useful in making dental implants such as crowns and bridges. Other advantages of PEEK are reported by the patients as they do not affect the taste,  feel comfortable don’t have an allergic reaction.


Why PEEK implant is a good substitute for other traditional implants?

Before PEEK become popular in the medical community, titanium was a biomaterial, especially as an interbody fusion device. PEEK is a better option than titanium for most surgeons due to the following advantages:

Flexibility

PEEK is more flexible than Ti. PEEK as a flexible biomaterial is still an excellent weight-bearing material suitable for orthopedic and spinal implants. PEEK’s ability to bend resembles the behavior of bone. This feature makes it an excellent replacement for other orthopedic implants, such as titanium which is stiffer than bone.

Radiolucency

Titanium is not transparent to X-rays, MRI, CT scans. PEEK is clear and does not interfere with medical imaging. Therefore, the created image is readable which is an important feature for postoperative monitoring.

Thermal resistance

PEEK material shows high-temperature stability compared to other metal implants which created a more comfortable situation for the Patients. It is extensively reported by patients with titanium plates that they experience intense pain when their body’s temperatures fluctuate.

5 Significant Properties of PEEK

Polyetherketones are known for their numerous properties making them a popular material in the health care area. Below we will talk about the most important properties of PEEK:

Heat resistant
PEEK shows high resistance to heat. It has a high melting point at 343 °C and it is suitable for high-temperature electrical and biomedical applications.

Biocompatible
It is easily compatible with the human body and it can implement the body without causing serious problems such as cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, or immunogenic. 

Light-weighted
Compared to other implants, PEEK implants are lighter. This feature offers a more comfortable life for the patients.

High tensile strength
These implants, with a tensile strength of about 90-100 MPa, can tolerate the weight of the load without breaking.

Flexible
They have the capacity to be bent easily compared to other traditional implants. This feature makes the PEEK implants an appropriate option for cardiac valves. 

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