World first for veterinary science designed at UCL

UCL's expertise in biomedical engineering has underpinned a world first in veterinary science that may have major implications for human medicine. Scientists at UCL's Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculokeletal Science (IOMS) helped design a unique implant for a dog suffering from cancer. Roly, an eight-year-old American bulldog, received the replacement for a cancerous bone in his rear hind leg just nine weeks ago, but he is already able to walk again. The implant ? the result of three years of research ? mirrors Roly's original femur and allow tendons to 'grow' into metal, restoring total mobility and function. It was designed by Professor Gordon Blunn, head of the Centre for Biomedical Engineering at IOMS, in collaboration with leading neuro-orthopaedic veterinary surgeon Dr Noel Fitzpatrick, and specialist implant manufacturer OrthoFitz. Dr Fitzpatrick performed the operation in March, removing the femur and hip joint, implanting the prosthesis, and reattaching the musculature in a complex two-hour procedure. Its success has implications for human accident victims whose recovery involves successfully reattaching tendons to bone, such as tennis or cricket players with ruptured tendons in the shoulders.