Local scientists develop orthopedic devices

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MANILA, Philippines — Researchers from the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM)-National Institutes of Health have developed an innovative and affordable medical device that stabilizes and supports fractured bones.

Called the “iFix Project,” it aims to provide a cost-effective, locally produced alternative to traditional metal external fixators, which are often expensive and inaccessible to many patients.

“Locally available external fixator systems perform the job, but we want to find ways to do it better. The strength of the locally available constructs has not been tested and using it is challenging. Our idea was to come up with an external fixator system that will be tested for its strength, easy to apply and affordable,” said Dr. Emmanuel Estrella, orthopedic surgeon and team leader of the iFix Project.

External fixation devices are used to quickly and efficiently stabilize long bone fractures, such as in the arms and legs.

They are made up of clamps, and metal rods, and the pins are inserted into the bone through the skin. These are then connected to an external frame. These devices can be adjusted externally to ensure the bones remain in an optimal position during the healing process.

Fracture treatment

Treatment of fractures, which require external fixation, costs tens of thousands of pesos. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. covers from P14,000 to P36,000 of the procedures and devices.

The team has developed and tested prototypes of the device, and orthopedic surgeons are currently evaluating them on cadaveric bones.

“We wanted to make sure that end-users will be able to use it effectively and easily. Biomechanical testing has been done and the clamp design has shown great strength, comparable to local fixator systems. The application in actual patients will be the second phase of our study,” Estrella said.

The iFix Project team—composed of Estrella, and engineers Jason Pechardo, Eduardo Magdaluyo Jr., and Miguel Aljibe from UPM Surgical Innovation and Biotechnology Laboratory—is in the process of securing a patent for the device.

They are planning to collaborate with local manufacturers to produce the iFix system in the Philippines. This initiative is expected to boost local industry while making the device widely accessible.

According to the researchers, the iFix Project distinguished itself by incorporating less complicated components and utilizing inherent material flex for quick-connects to rods, courtesy of a petal-like hinge. This design would allow for hand-tightening and maintain the same level of adjustability as the widely recognized Hoffman fixators.

“Our current design has fewer components, which reduces costs while ensuring the device’s functionality and reliability. We aim to offer something between the high-end models that are often too expensive and the more affordable ones that lack quality,” Pechardo said.