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Plastic Bones: The Future is Here (And It's Not as Weird as It Sounds)

  • Writer: Alvin Lourdes
    Alvin Lourdes
  • Sep 13, 2024
  • 2 min read


September 13 2024

Plastic bones may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but they’re on the fast track to becoming a major trend in healthcare. Thanks to new materials, 3D printing, and some good old-fashioned innovation, plastic bones are solving long-standing issues with traditional metal implants. The best part? We’re finally seeing the network effects kick in, which means the more we use them, the better and cheaper they’ll get. Let’s break it down, with a little humor.


The Network Effect: More Bones, Better Results

Network effects are like a snowball rolling downhill—every new user (in this case, surgeon or patient) makes the technology better for everyone. As more people adopt plastic bones, manufacturers refine their processes, costs drop, and the technology improves. So, what seemed like a futuristic concept a few years ago is now snowballing into a mainstream healthcare solution.


The Old Blockers (And How We’re Smashing Them)

  1. Biocompatibility (Translation: Will My Body Reject This?)

    Blocker: Early plastic bones were often rejected by the body, leading to inflammation or failure.

    Solution: Enter PEEK (polyetheretherketone)—a biocompatible plastic that’s just about as friendly to the human body as a puppy. PEEK is now used in spinal and orthopedic implants with minimal rejection risk. So yes, your body will think these bones are cool enough to hang around.


  2. Durability (A.K.A. Will It Snap Like a Toy?)

    Blocker: Early polymers lacked the strength to handle the stress that real bones endure, especially in load-bearing areas.

    Solution: Advanced high-performance plastics are now strong enough to rival the durability of metal implants, without the weight or the risk of long-term corrosion. So no, they won’t snap mid-squat at the gym.


  3. Cost (How Much Is This Going to Cost Me?)

    Blocker: Plastic bones used to cost a fortune due to custom manufacturing and low adoption rates.

    Solution: Enter 3D printing and mass production. With more surgeons adopting plastic bones and tech improving, production is becoming cheaper. It’s not quite IKEA prices yet, but we’re getting there.


  4. Regulatory Challenges (Government Red Tape, Oh Joy)

    Blocker: Medical devices have to jump through more hoops than a circus tiger to get approved.

    Solution: Now that plastic bones have proven themselves biocompatible and durable, regulatory bodies are speeding up the process. More clinical trials mean more data, which means faster approvals.


Companies Leading the Way

  • Invibio: A leader in biocompatible PEEK materials, already making waves with spinal and dental implants.

  • Materialise: Pioneering 3D-printed custom bone implants, making sure no two plastic bones are alike (in a good way).

  • Medtronic: Investing heavily in plastic bones for orthopedic use, blending traditional biology with advanced materials.


The Future: Mainstream and Cost-Effective

Thanks to the network effect, the more people jump on the plastic bone bandwagon, the cheaper and more effective it gets. Surgeons learn, patients recover, and costs drop as economies of scale kick in. In a few years, plastic bones could be as common as titanium hips—only lighter, more flexible, and, dare I say, cooler.


 
 
 

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