Orthopeadic devices
Medical advances in the last few years mean that more people than ever rely on artificial joints. From hip replacements to reconstruction of knee ligaments, medical engineering is increasingly common.
Imperial’s Department of Mechanical Engineering hosts some of the leading researchers in orthopaedic biomechanics in the world. Through consultancy, they are working with industry to develop artificial joints, orthopaedic trauma products and soft tissue devices such as meniscal implants for knee injuries.
Andrew Amis is a professor of orthopaedic biomechanics and an experienced consultant. Surgical implants and devices can sometimes fail within a patient. The expertise and facilities at Imperial, including electron microscopy and X-ray analysis, help determine whether the failure was due to a manufacturing defect, a design fault or due to inappropriate implantation.
From these assessments, Professor Amis and his group can advise on identifying and correcting design limitations. Besides consultancy, he also acts as an expert witness in cases involving the failures of surgical devices, industrial accidents and other injuries.
Their consultancy work also includes the assessment and performance analysis of new technologies. Imperial is one of the few places in the UK that can test new orthopaedic devices and related instrument systems on human bones and joints. The group’s combination of biomechanical research and orthopaedic surgeons means they offer a service unrivalled in the UK.
Services offered
- Basic scientific investigation
- New product design data
- Computational modelling
- Experimental testing
- Expert witness services
- Performance analysis
- Pre-clinical evaluation
