ABSTRACT
Bone is an organ capable of self-repair following an injury. However, the loss of signiŒcant bone volume due to infection or trauma may result in a permanent defect at an injury site. Current surgical techniques employed to repair large defects include bone grafting and metallic implants. Bone grafting is limited by the quantity of bone available from a possible donor site, making the procedure unsuitable for large defects. Metallic implants are of particular use in load-bearing environments due to their high strength and toughness. However, these devices are far from optimal
2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Materials .........................................................................................................20
