"Instead of traditional plasters, splints, and braces, the limbs and spine are effectively fixed, and the liquid metal materials have many advantages. Low temperature melting, gentle and comfortable, easy to wear, recyclable, and anti-inflammatory and swelling treatment. The first clinical trial of liquid metal also marks the subversive progress of liquid metal from theoretical research to application in orthopedic clinics." Zhang Yong, chief physician of the Joint and Sports Medicine Department of the First People's Hospital of Qujing, China, said excitedly. On July 20, the liquid metal orthopedic external fixation brace was used for the first time in the Orthopedic Clinic at the First Hospital of Qujing City.
Liquid metal orthopedic external fixation brace for the first time in orthopedics clinic
Compared with plaster, the liquid metal orthopedic external fixation brace has many advantages such as comfort and ventilation.
Save time and effort, easy to wear
In the operating room, Ms. Tang, 57-year-old Qujing, was lying on the bed. The attending doctor Zhang Yong was leading the medical staff to perform the operation on her. A few days ago, Ms. Tang accidentally fell and injured her left calf, causing a comminuted fracture of the ankle joint. During the operation, the medical staff simultaneously heated the "exoskeleton" made of liquid metal in the instrument to achieve the purpose of liquid softening. After the routine correction and wound sutures were completed, the "exoskeleton" artifact in the style of knee pads was taken out and replaced the traditional plaster and splint. "It's done! It's so beautiful, it's much more convenient than plaster fixation…" At the scene, the medical staff were overjoyed, lamenting that the "artifact" is stylish and light, and the fixation effect is very good. The entire process of putting on the "exoskeleton" by the patient only takes about one minute, which saves time and effort compared with traditional casts.
Comfortable, breathable, beautiful and easy to carry
Doctor Zhang Yong said that the introduction of liquid metal orthopedic external fixation brace into clinical practice is indeed a great leap forward. It is an external fixation brace. Compared with traditional or polymer plaster, it has inherited the original fixation and support function, but also discarded some criticized shortcomings, such as bulky, easy to break, airtight, It is easy to cause skin dryness, itching, poor fit and matching, and unadjustable deficiency. In the case of adjustable ratio, it is light and convenient, low-temperature shaping, high fit, comfortable and breathable, beautiful and easy to carry, and has good radiation permeability. It is worth mentioning that this new type of material can be melted again according to the needs of the treatment process in order to perfectly fit and fix, which is of great significance to patients with orthopedic trauma and swelling and patients who need to adjust the fixed position and posture. It has good thermodynamic properties and can also perform clinically indispensable functions of hyperthermia and cold therapy, which can be said to be a great boon for patients with trauma and pain. In addition, with the addition of composite materials, its treatment can be extended to magnetic therapy, antibacterial and other functions. In the future, there is a lot of potential for multi-functional development, which can be used repeatedly and save patients' costs.
From basic research to technology, Chinese scientists have made original breakthroughs in liquid metal biomedical materials. Professor Liu Jing, an expert in liquid metal research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, once said: “In recent years, the development of liquid metal has gradually penetrated into multiple territories, and its application value in biomedicine is increasingly apparent. The introduction of liquid metal biomedical materials is one of the The resolution of a series of major medical bottlenecks provides promising new ideas and approaches, which are expected to lead to the establishment of a transformative medical technology system." The research results and application of the "exoskeleton" is an important epitome. The project is led by Zhang Yong It was jointly developed by the team, Professor Liu Jing's team and China Xuan Liquid Metal Company.
Liquid metal
The new type of alloy material mainly adopts the low-temperature smelting preparation process. Different metal materials are fully fused according to a certain ratio and temperature controlled to form a new metal material. According to the different component ratios, the final liquid metal material is formed Will have different functional attributes. Because of its amorphous liquid form, it has excellent electrical and thermodynamic properties, as well as special properties such as swallowing effect, self-driving, deformation and discoloration, so it has a wide range of applications in many fields.