Osseointegration of composite calcium phosphate bioceramics

• Published in: Journal of biomedical materials research Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. 125 - 130
• Main Authors: Frayssinet, P., Mathon, D., Lerch, A., Autefage, A., Collard, P., Rouquet, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-05-2000; John Wiley & Sons
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials; Biological and medical sciences; bone; Bone Substitutes; calcium phosphate; Calcium Phosphates; ceramic; Ceramics; composite; Medical sciences; Orthopedic surgery; Osseointegration; Sheep; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Osteointegration; Mechanical properties; Calcium phosphate; Compressive strength; Composite material; Osteoarticular system; Implanted material; Vertebrata; Orthopedic surgery; Mammalia; Animal; Cement; Sheep; Artiodactyla; Porosity; Ceramic materials; Ungulata; Biomedical engineering
• ISSN: 0021-9304; 1097-4636
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4636(200005)50:2<125::AID-JBM5>3.0.CO;2-#

The resistance of macroporous calcium phosphate ceramics to compressive strength generally is low and depends on, among other factors, porosity percentage and pore size. A compromise always is adopted between high porosity, required for a good integration, and mechanical strength, which increases with material density. We improved the strength of macroporous calcium phosphate ceramics of interconnected porosity by filling the pores with a highly soluble, self‐setting calcium phosphate cement made of TCP and DCPD. Cylinders of the resulting material were implanted in sheep condyles and subjected to histological analysis after 20, 60, and 120 days. Microradiographs were made of the histological sections. The control material consisted of ceramic that had not been loaded with cement. Progressive ingrowth of bone into the ceramic pores occurred as the cement was degraded during the first implantation period. Marked degradation of the cement was apparent after 2 months, with fragmentation of the cement in most of the pores and the presence of bone tissue between the fragments. All the cement had been replaced by bone after 4 months. Some fragments of cement still were embedded in the newly formed bone. There was no significant difference between the integration of loaded and nonloaded ceramics. Filling the macroporous ceramic pores with a calcium phosphate cement significantly improved the mechanical strength of these ceramics without modifying their integration in the healing bone. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 50, 125–130, 2000.