SAN DIEGO—Researchers with Scripps Health, a nonprofit health care system, received a $317,000 grant award from the National Institutes of Health to develop a “smart shoulder” replacement implant, it was announced Dec. 5.

The award will go toward the first phase of research over the next two years at the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic on Torrey Pines Mesa.

The team intends to plan, develop, produce and monitor the effectiveness of a prototype which can remotely and continuously transmit data about a new shoulder after surgery.

According to Scripps, the doctors plan to modify an existing shoulder implant by adding wireless technology and sensors, as well as rechargeable power. They intend to test the concept in the shoulder of a human cadaver.

“The smart implant will serve as both a functional shoulder joint replacement, as well as a research tool that can continually record and transmit data from inside the patient’s shoulder, such as mechanical forces, temperature, range of motion and other metrics,” a statement from the health care company reads.

The initial grant funding comes from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health. After the initial two-year period, Scripps will seek additional grant funding for clinical studies.

“Shoulder replacement surgery represents an important area of study,” Dr. Darryl D'Lima, director of orthopedic research at Scripps Health and the initiative’s co-lead investigator, said in a statement. “Studies show that the number of these procedures has grown significantly in recent years in the United States and the trend is expected to continue.

“We need to gather and review data to better understand ways we can improve shoulder prosthetics and rehab approaches for patients, and this grant funding is an important first step toward that goal.”

Dr. Heinz Hoenecke, orthopedic surgeon and researcher at Scripps Clinic, is also co-lead investigator.

Scripps has made history in prosthetics before, when in 2004, Dr. Clifford Colwell implanted the world’s first electronic knee prosthesis into a patient at Scripps Green Hospital. This milestone provided insight into how forces impact the knee.