Prototype of a silicon nitride ceramic-based miniplate osteofixation system for the midface.

Objective: The favorable properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics, such as high mean strength level and fracture toughness, suggest biomedical use as an implant material. Minor reservations about the biocompatibility of Si3N4 ceramics were cleared up by previous in vitro and in vivo investigations.

Study Design And Setting: A Si3N4 prototype minifixation system was manufactured and implanted for osteosynthesis of artificial frontal bone defects in 3 minipigs.

[Osteosynthesis in facial bones: silicon nitride ceramic as material].

Background: The favorable properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic, such as high stability and biocompatibility suggest its biomedical use as an implant material. The aim of this study was to test its suitability for osteosynthesis.

Materials And Methods: A Si3N4 prototype minifixation system was manufactured and implanted for osteosynthesis of artificial frontal bone defects in three minipigs.

The effect of surface modification of a porous TiO2/perlite composite on the ingrowth of bone tissue in vivo.

The porous TiO2/perlite composite Ecopore is a synthetic biomaterial with possible clinical application in bone substitution. In our previous work, we demonstrated that surface modification of Ecopore with fibronectin (FN) enhanced spreading and growth of human osteoblasts in vitro. In the present study, we implanted untreated, alkaline-etched and FN-coated Ecopore cylinders into critical size defects of rabbit femora and applied pulsed polychrome sequence staining.

[Application of a stand-alone interbody fusion cage based on a novel porous TiO2/glass composite. I. Implantation in the sheep cervical spine and radiological evaluation].

Animals are becoming more and more common as in vitro and in vivo models for the human spine. Especially the sheep cervical spine is stated to be of good comparability and usefulness in the evaluation of in vivo radiological, biomechanical and histological behaviour of new bone replacement materials, implants and cages for cervical spine interbody fusion. In preceding biomechanical in vitro examination human cervical spine specimens were tested after fusion with either a cubical stand-alone interbody fusion cage manufactured from a new porous TiO/glass composite (Ecopore) or polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) after discectomy.

[Biocompatibilty of silicon nitride ceramic in vitro. A comparative fluorescence-microscopic and scanning electron-microscopic study].

Background: With regard to its favorable physical properties, silicon nitride ceramic is considered as biomaterial for human medical application. Minor controversy exists about the biocompatibility of the material.

Methods: Cytotoxicity testing, cell viability and morphology assessment was performed applying the L929-mice fibroblast cell culture model in a direct contact assay.

In vitro behavior of a porous TiO2/perlite composite and its surface modification with fibronectin.

In this study, we introduce a porous composite material, termed "Ecopore", and describe in vitro investigation of the material and its modification with fibronectin. The material is a sintered compound of rutile TiO2 and the volcanic silicate perlite with a macrostructure of interconnecting pores. It is both inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

Comparative investigation of the biocompatibility of various silicon nitride ceramic qualities in vitro.

There is a controversy about the biocompatibility of silicon nitride ceramics contained in the literature, which appears to be related to a factor of the individual chemical composition of different qualities of silicon nitride ceramics and of the different surface properties. This study attempts to investigate the cytotoxicity of different qualities of industrial silicon nitride ceramics applying an L929-cell culture model in a direct contact assay combined with a cell viability assessment. Five different qualities of industrial standard silicon nitride ceramics were chosen for in vitro testing.

[Biomechanicsl evaluation of a stand-alone interbody fusion cage based on porous TiO2/glass-ceramic on the human cervical spine].

Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the use of cervical spine interbody fusion cages, differing in design and biomaterial used, in competition to autologous iliac bone graft and bone cement (PMMA). Limited biomechanical differences in primary stability, as well as advantages and disadvantages of each cage or material have been investigated in studies, using an in vitro human cervical spine model. 20 human cervical spine specimens were tested after fusion with either a cubical stand-alone interbody fusion cage manufactured from a new porous TiO2/glass composite (Ecopore) or PMMA after discectomy.