Chinese Scientists Create Magic Bone Glue

Summary: Fractures can be easily fixed in a matter of minutes, thanks to the “bone glue” discovered by Chinese scientists.
Good news for orthopaedic patients: A medical adhesive called Bone-02 has been discovered by Chinese scientists that can repair fractured bones in about three minutes! What a remarkable moment for orthopaedic surgery.

The inspiration

Dr Lin Xianfeng of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Zhejiang province, China, was influenced by the ability of oysters to cling to wet and moving underwater surfaces, amidst strong waves and water currents.

The bone glue Bone-02

Bone – 02 is bioabsorbable, i.e. it naturally dissolves with the healing of the bone. In case of broken bones, implants are inserted to set the broken bone. However, with Bone-02, there is no necessity for a second surgery to remove such hardware from the body. The adhesive is strong, safe and bonds even in the blood-rich parts of the body.
According to the scientists, this adhesive can reduce the time taken for surgery, lower the risk of infections, and hasten the recovery process, thereby creating a milestone in the field of orthopaedic surgery. A case of biomimicry, where the ability of oysters to survive has been the main source of inspiration for formulating this glue.
When applied to the broken bone, the glue gets activated and binds the broken bone with its bonding force of more than 400 pounds. It works rapidly and effectively.

Clinical trials

More than 150 patients have participated in clinical trials, and the results are amazing. Doctors opine that this glue has done away with implanting steel screws and plates to set broken bones. They are impressed with its rapid effect. The safe tolerance of this glue by participants has been observed in the trials. There have been no health hazards associated with this glue.

Conclusion

Complex injuries, battlefield injuries, and areas where medical assistance is limited can greatly benefit from this glue. Nature is a great teacher and healer, but, sadly, humans tend to ignore this. Such a big breakthrough, and that too inspired by oysters! Modern medicine should be a balance of both science and nature. However, nature must be protected at all costs. Let us be more active and conserve nature, so that humans and nature can co-exist peacefully.