MEDICAL history has been made in America thanks to an invention pioneered in Worcestershire.

Surgeons in the US this week undertook spinal reconstructive surgery using a polymer implant developed by Redditch-based Surgicraft Ltd.

The implant known as Stalif is made of a type of polymer that mimics the biomechanical characteristics of bone. Unlike metal, the material is much more elastic, so it can absorb energy and handle the normal weight of the human body.