Webinar Information:

For over three decades, Thermal Plasma Spray has been a widely used technology applied to osseo-integrative hydroxyapatite or titanium coatings on titanium alloys, which is the most popular bulk materials used with structural purposes in the orthopedic field. In recent years, these results have been further improved thanks to innovations and optimizations in Thermal Plasma Spray technologies and processes.

One example is a new type of Hydroxyapatite coating, named Osprovit® G, that includes benefits, such as Plasma Sprayed HA coatings, like bio-activity, mechanical solid interface, long lasting endurance after implantation, all properties essential for secondary fixation, along with higher surface grip, and useful primary fixation in certain clinical applications.

Another example is a titanium coating brand, named TiGrowth®. It consists of a series of open and interconnected large size pores arranged in a titanium matrix, a sort of titanium sponge. Ti-Growth® presents unmatched characteristics in terms of pores size (i.e. 250-800 µm), interconnected porosity (i.e. 30-70%), coating thickness (i.e. 600-1100 µm), while maintaining excellent adhesion, cohesion and abrasion resistance required for orthopedic applications. These features enable bone in growth in the coating, thus providing fixed and tough interlock between artificial prosthesis and host bone. Biological evidences, collected through in vivo experiments, are shown.

Thermal Plasma Spray has another key advantage in the capability to safely match a coating in one material with a substrate made of a different material. This aspect is appreciated, as an example in the knee district, where CoCr is the leading used material, thanks to its superb wear resistant performances. Unfortunately, CoCr lacks for osseo-conductivity, thus impairing cement less solutions based on a single CoCr material component. TPS enables the application of a porous titanium coating on the back side of CoCr components, leaving untouched the polished convex surfaces on the opposite side.

With experience and know-how, Thermal Plasma Spray recipes can be tuned to be as gentle as to enable the coupling of a thermal sensitive substrate made of a Polymer with a coating made of Titanium or Hydroxyapatite. In the recent years the application of titanium porous coating over a PEEK based substrate became popular. PEEK material is used for intervertebral body fusion cages thanks to its radiolucency. Unfortunately, PEEK is mainly bio inert. The combination with a bio conductive surface gives osseo-integrative features to the device while saving original radiolucency, elasticity, and weight.

In this webinar you will learn:

1. Thermal Plasma Spray technology overview

2. HA coating features and examples of applications in the orthopedics
3. TPS and porous coating for the orthopedics
4. Coupling of dissimilar materials thanks to Plasma Spray technology:
    ● Ti coating on CoCr – the knee district;
    ● Ti coating on PEEK – the spine district;
    ● Double layer coatings
5. Ancillary operations: the essential for implants finishing: Laser marking, cleaning, clean room packing.