Modular orthopedic devices based on shape memory alloys

The main idea of this paper is related to design modular adaptive implants for fractured bones. In order to target the efficiency of medical treatment, the implant has to protect the fractured bone, for the healing period, undertaking much as is possible from the daily usual load of the healthy bones. Using implant modularity, the load is gradually transferred to bone, assuring in this manner a gradually recover of bone function. The proposed intelligent device has a network structure, with modules made out of Nitinol, especially designed in order to ensure a rapid connection and/or extraction of one or more MAI modules. We suggest a design for the unitary SMA module structure, a design which ensures not only the stability of the super-elastic network and constant force requirements, but also a rapid coupling/decoupling procedure. The adaptability of this design is related to medical possibility of the doctor to made the implant to correspond to patient specifically anatomy.