Inspired by oysters cementing themselves to ocean rocks and bridge pylons, scientists at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in eastern China’s Zhejiang province have developed what they call the world’s first “bone glue.”

Announced at a press conference Tuesday, the bioadhesive offers a less invasive alternative to the metal pins and plates typically used to treat fractures. It may be particularly effective for “comminuted” fractures, the bones splinter into three or more fragments.

Bone fractures are a growing global health problem, with 178 million people suffering breaks in 2019, up 30% from 1990, according to The Lancet.

Named “Bone 02,” a nod to “502” — a widely used Chinese household superglue first developed at a lab bearing that number — the bio-glue forms bonds strong enough to withstand over 200 kilograms. It also dissolves safely within six months.

Early clinical trial results have shown promising results in more than 150 patients.

Dr. Lin Xianfeng, deputy chief orthopedic surgeon and lead researcher, said he was inspired by his childhood on China’s eastern coast, where he saw oysters clinging tightly to the base of concrete bridges despite pounding waves.

Oyster secretions have long captivated scientists around the world. In 2010, a U.S. research team at Purdue University first characterized the unique “glue” containing protein and calcium carbonate.

Dr. Lin’s team began experimenting in 2016 and eventually engineered a non-toxic adhesive that could bond effectively in the wet, blood-rich environment of the human body.

At the press conference, the team highlighted the case of a young worker with a comminuted wrist fracture.

Standard treatment would have required a large incision to implant metal plates and screws, with risks of nerve damage, tissue adhesion, and a second surgery a year later to remove the hardware.

With Bone 02, surgeons were able to bond the bone fragments in just three minutes, using a 2-3 centimeter incision to inject the glue. A three-month follow-up showed full recovery of wrist function, with no complications.

Dr. Lin said the adhesive is suitable for nearly all fracture types and locations. “Thanks to its fast bonding and ease of use, the glue may hold potential for use in emergency fracture treatment in battlefields or disaster zones,” he said.

The team has applied for both Chinese and international patents.

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: Visuals from Xinhua and VCG, reedited by Sixth Tone)