Liquidmetal Technologies Inc (LQMT)

[The Paraclete]

I was perusing the Arthrex website and came across a few devices that I think would make ideal candidates for the use of Liquidmetal (BMGs). I’m just not sure what the current status is re: biocompatibility. Josh once pointed out there were active clinical trials being conducted in one or more countries outside of the USA.

Anyway, Arthrex makes two small devices out of Nitinol. Nitinol is an interesting metallic material that undergoes phase transformation (it"s flexible at room temperature and rigid at body temperature). But it has several drawbacks. It is very expensive, difficult to manufacture parts out of it, and it has a not insignificant rate of fracture under strain. (Double negatives are used commonly in medicine to convey a specific meaning.) Here is a chart of Nitinol vs BMGs:

Arthrex also makes a series of special surgical plates (such as the Lapidus plate) used to repair and correct deformities caused by bunions. (Unlike guitar pins, there are a gazillion bunioneictomies performed worldwide every year.) The plates are most likely made out of either SS or titanium, but I think titanium is the more likely; and I think they are manufactured via CNC -- but I'm not certain. BMG plates would be stronger, thinner, lighter, less likely to fracture, and less costly when ordered in quantity.

These are just possibilities. I’m keeping an eye out for ads that tout new products from Arthrex and from ConMed. If I come up with anything concrete, I’ll let you know.