An injectable cement: synthesis, physical properties and scaffold for bone repair.

ABSTRACT

Micro-invasive bone grafting is to deliver bone graft materials to the desired site through local puncturation and injection. It has many advantages such as little injury, simple procedures and high efficiency of osteogenesis. Limited sources of graft materials and complicated procedures are the main factors affecting the development of the technique. Therefore, to prepare a stable, economical, efficient and easy-to-use liquid graft material is crucial for the development of the technique. PURPOSE: The potential efficacy of an injectable calcium phosphate cement's handling properties and scaffold for bone repair performance was evaluated in a rabbit femoral condyles model. STUDY DESIGN: A comparative study was conducted between a new cement and a commercially available calcium phosphate cement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The new cement and commercially available calcium-phosphate cements were compared in terms of the setting time, injection pressure, particle size and compressive strength. Then the cements were delivered to rabbit femoral condyles through local injection and then degradation of cements and bone formation were observed regularly after operation. RESULTS: The new injectable cement was superior to currently used cements in terms of permitted manipulation time, injection pressure, particle size, postoperative degradation and efficacy of scaffold for bone repair; nevertheless, the new cement was slightly inferior to currently used cements in compressive strength and the final setting time. CONCLUSIONS: The new injectable cement is more suitable for the clinical study of micro-invasive bone grafting. It allows a brand new bone grafting procedure and provides a new graft material and thus merits further development and wider application.