EC Orthopaedics

Orthopedic infections pose significant challenges in patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Despite various infection control measures, implant-related infections remain a significant concern in clinical practice. This article explores the potential applications of intelligent implants for infection control in orthopaedics. Intelligent implants, advanced medical devices integrated with technology, offer precise functionality and personalized care. They can be categorized based on their function, purpose, and technology, including load monitoring, joint specificity, sensor-based or actuator-based features, application specificity, connectivity capabilities, and data-driven insights. Intelligent implants can integrate with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques to enhance infection detection, prevention, and management. AI algorithms can analyse implant data, patient-specific factors, and environmental variables to identify potential infection cases, predict infection likelihood, and adjust drug delivery systems for personalized treatment plans. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize infection control in orthopaedics, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Keywords: Intelligent Implants; Infection Control; Orthopaedics; Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning

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