# Understanding The Impact of Diabetes on Implant Performance: A Retrieval Study

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS · 2021 · $39,636

## Abstract

Proposal Summary and Abstract
Orthopedic devices have often been considered a higher risk to diabetic patients due to impaired wound
healing abilities that can be caused by reduced macrophages, collagenase, and cell proliferation. It is still not
well understood exactly which biological factors determine how effective bone healing is surrounding
orthopedic implants within diabetic conditions. This can have adverse effects on the success and performance
of the implant due to corrosion of the surface, micro motion, dislocation, infection or necrosis of the
surrounding tissues, or even surgeon error. In order to better determine how future implants can become
more successful in diabetic patients we would like to establish a correlation between the amount of decay of
the implant surface and the environment that the implant was exposed to. The overall goal of this study is to
understand surface properties, morphological features and failure modes of implants removed from diabetic
patients.
In summary, the implants received for analysis will be first subjected to optical microscopy to identify the
degree of biological and metallic products present on the surface. This technique will also enable identification
of areas with interesting features for further analysis. Then the implants will be ranked for the degree of visual
biological and metallic/wear deposition. Specimens will be subsequently subjected to a series of cleaning steps
following previous protocols developed in our group for surface preparation. Specimens will be again imaged
with optical microscopy, areas of interest will be marked and ranked for degree of biological and wear
products. Then specimens will be investigated with Scanning Electron Microscopy, followed by Energy
Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for analysis of the chemical
composition and oxidation state, respectively, of surfaces. Following this, specimens will be subjected to
electrochemical testing for investigation of the corrosion properties of the materials. Immunomodulation may
be an important mechanism to improve osseous healing under compromised systemic conditions. Further
investigation is warranted of the surface characteristics that can modulate the inflammatory response to
promote osseous healing.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10148766
- **Project number:** 5F31DK121483-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexandra Arteaga
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $39,636
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-15 → 2023-05-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10148766

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10148766, Understanding The Impact of Diabetes on Implant Performance: A Retrieval Study (5F31DK121483-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10148766. Licensed CC0.

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