Solving the problem of surgical stainless steel
(WorldNews Canada)

Credit: Thinkstock Stainless steel is widely used in surgical medicine: for medical devices such coronary stents, hip-implant stems and spinal-disc replacements, and for a variety of surgical tools such as scalpels and forceps, as well as operating tables. As a material, however, stainless steel isn`t without its flaws. Over time, steel implants can cause allergic and toxic reactions and be rejected by the body, and in less hygienic surgical environments steel may not adequately resist the buildup of harmful bacteria. For years, scientists have experimented with ways to improve the efficacy of stainless steel using special coatings, modifying the material`s chemistry and even molecular...