Bones get mended with high tech glass-of-milk

Low temperature Bioglass is used to help fix broken bones, but until now no-one has been able to understand the process.

Using a strong magnetic field to ‘see’ into the bones researchers saw calcium rush into the bioglass in the first hour of implantation.

Physicist Professor Mark Smith explains: “Bioglass is used to help mend broken bones. Recently researchers working at Imperial College discovered a new kind of bioglass which seemed to work better, but they could not work out all the details why.

“We looked at it through our NMR machine and were amazed by what we saw. Fluid simulating patient’s bodies rushed calcium out of the bioglass and then into the new bones. It seems perhaps a glass-of-milk-a-day really is what the doctor ordered.”

The new Bioglass uses chemicals rather than heat to form the replacement bones. The University of Warwick worked with Imperial College and Kent University of the project.