Elution of rifampin and vancomycin from a weight-bearing silorane-based bone cement.

Aims: Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based bone cements are the industry standard in orthopaedics. PMMA cement has inherent disadvantages, which has led to the development and evaluation of a novel silorane-based biomaterial (SBB) for use as an orthopaedic cement. In this study we test both elution and mechanical properties of both PMMA and SBB, with and without antibiotic loading.

Mechanical and degradation properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) cement/borate bioactive glass composites.

Bone cement is used extensively in orthopedics to anchor prostheses to bone and fill voids. Incorporating bioactive glass into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based bone cement could potentially improve its effectiveness for these tasks. This study characterizes the mechanical and degradation properties of composites containing PMMA-based bone cement and particles of borate bioactive glass designated as 13-93B3.

Characterization of the conversion of bone cement and borate bioactive glass composites.

Borate bioactive glass 13-93B3 converts into an osteoconductive hydroxyapatite-like material in a liquid medium. In this study, 13-93B3 was incorporated into a commercial PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)) bone cement, and the conversion of the glass into a precipitate in solution was investigated with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (spectroscopy)-attenuated total reflection, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Glass particles of 5, 33, and 100 μm diameter were each mixed with the PMMA cement to create 20, 30, and 40% glass-loaded composites.

Antibiotic Elution and Mechanical Strength of PMMA Bone Cement Loaded With Borate Bioactive Glass.

Local delivery of antibiotics using bone cement as the delivery vehicle is an established method of managing implant-associated orthopedic infections. Various fillers have been added to cement to increase antibiotic elution, but they often do so at the expense of strength. This study evaluated the effect of adding a borate bioactive glass, previously shown to promote bone formation, on vancomycin elution from PMMA bone cement.