Research

Development of novel implants that enhance the fixation of bone screws in low quality bone and ”smart” adaptive implants that ensure appropriate loading of healing bone and combine this technology with tissue engineering to ensure an optimal biomechanical and biological environment for fracture repair and bone regeneration.

Application

Loss of the biomechanical integrity of the skeleton due to fracture or loss of bone tissue often leads to premature disability and leaves the patient with a reduced quality of life. The economic burden on the health care system of skeletal conditions such as osteoporosis-related fractures, osteolytic bone loss and other bone defects related to trauma, bone tumors and surgical resections is enormous. Despite considerable research efforts in implant design, augmentation methods and regenerative medicine approaches, the surgical treatment of the bone deficient skeleton remains challenging with unsatisfactory clinical outcomes.

Journal Articles

Siggers, K, Frei H, Fernlund G, Rossi FMV, Effect of bone graft substitute on marrow stromal cell proliferation and differentiation, publication pending Journal of Applied Biomaterials

Yang C, Frei H, Rossi F, Burt H The differential in vitro and in vivo responses of bone marrow stromal cells on novel porous gelatin-alginate scaffolds publication pending Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Yang C, Frei H, Burt H Rossi F, Effects of continuous and pulsatile PTH treatments on rat bone marrow stromal cells, Biochemical and Biophysical Research 2009, 380 791-796.

Albert CI, Sanjeev Patil, Frei H, Masri BA, Duncan CP, Oxland TR, Fernlund GF, Cement penetration and primary stability of the femoral prosthesis after impaction allografting: A biomechanical study in the cadaver femur, J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2007; 89-B:962-70

Frei H, Gadala M, Masri BA, Duncan CP, Oxland TR, Cement Flow during Impaction Allografting: A Finite Element Analysis, J Biomech. 2006;39(3):493-502.

Frei H, O’Connell J, Masri BA, Duncan CP, Oxland TR, Biological and Mechanical Changes of the Bone-Graft-Cement Interface after Impaction Allografting J Orthop Res. 2005 Nov; 23(6):1271-9.

Frei H, Mitchell P, Masri BA, Duncan CP, Oxland TR, Mechanical characteristics of the bone-graft-cement interface after impaction allografting, J Orthop Res. 2005 Jan;23(1):9-17.

Wilson D, Frei H, Masri BA, Oxland TR, Duncan C.P., A biomechanical study comparing cortical onlay allograft struts and plates in the treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2005 Jan; 20(1):70-6.

Frei H, Mitchell P, Masri BA, Duncan CP, Oxland TR, Allograft impaction and cement penetration after the revision of failed THR with Impaction Allografting: A histomorphometric analysis in the cadaveric Femur, J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2004 Jul; 86(5):771-6.

Haberl H, Cripton P, Orr T, Beutler T, Frei H, Lanksch R, Nolte LP, Kinematic response of lumbar functional spinal units to axial torsion with and without superimposed compression and flexion/extension, May 2004, Eur Spine J. 2004 Oct; 13(6):560-6

Frei H, Oxland T.R., Nolte L-P, Thoracolumbar spine mechanics contrasted under compression and shear loading. J Ortho Res 20 2002, 1333-1338.

Frei H, Oxland TR, Rathonyi G, Nolte L-P, The effect of nucleotomy on lumber spine mechanics in compression and shear loading. Spine 2001; 26: 2080-2089.

Patents

H. Frei (2005), “Helical Coil Fastener and Apparatus and Method for Implantation Thereof,” United States patent #11/665,367.