Comparative study on the properties of acrylic bone cements prepared with either aliphatic or aromatic functionalized methacrylates

The Role of Chitosan and Graphene Oxide in Bioactive and Antibacterial Properties of Acrylic Bone Cements

Acrylic bone cements (ABC) are widely used in orthopedics for joint fixation, antibiotic release, and bone defect filling, among others. However, most commercially available ABCs exhibit a lack of bioactivity and are susceptible to infection after implantation. These disadvantages generate long-term loosening of the prosthesis, high morbidity, and prolonged and expensive treatments. Due to the great importance of acrylic bone cements in orthopedics, the scientific community has advanced several efforts to develop bioactive ABCs with antibacterial activity through several strategies, including the use of biodegradable materials such as chitosan (CS) and nanostructures such as graphene oxide (GO), with promising results. This paper reviews several studies reporting advantages in bioactivity and antibacterial properties after incorporating CS and GO in bone cements. Detailed information on the possible mechanisms by which these fillers confer bioactive and antibacterial properties to cements, resulting in formulations with great potential for use in orthopedics, are also a focus in the manuscript. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review that presents the improvement in biological properties with CS and GO addition in cements that we believe will contribute to the biomedical field.

Real-time synchronous measurement of curing characteristics and polymerization stress in bone cements with a cantilever-beam based instrument

An instrumentation capable of simultaneously determining degree of conversion (DC), polymerization stress (PS), and polymerization exotherm (PE) in real time was introduced to self-curing bone cements. This comprises the combination of an in situ high-speed near-infrared spectrometer, a cantilever-beam instrument with compliance-variable feature, and a microprobe thermocouple. Two polymethylmethacrylate-based commercial bone cements, containing essentially the same raw materials but differ in their viscosity for orthopedic applications, were used to demonstrate the applicability of the instrumentation. The results show that for both the cements studied the final DC was marginally different, the final PS was different at the low compliance, the peak of the PE was similar, and their polymerization rates were significantly different. Systematic variation of instrumental compliance for testing reveals differences in the characteristics of PS profiles of both the cements. This emphasizes the importance of instrumental compliance in obtaining an accurate understanding of PS evaluation. Finally, the key advantage for the simultaneous measurements is that these polymerization properties can be correlated directly, thus providing higher measurement confidence and enables a more in-depth understanding of the network formation process.

PMMA brush-containing two-solution bone cement: preparation, characterization, and influence of composition on cement properties

Two-solution bone cement consisting of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) brushes in methyl methacrylate has been developed as an alternative to the traditional two-solution (TSBC) and powder-liquid cements. It was hypothesized that the substitution of brushes, for the entire pre-polymer phase of the cement, would permit a decrease in solution viscosity at higher polymer fractions, and allow for physical entanglements with the cement matrix. Consequently, improved cement exothermal and mechanical properties could be expected with brush addition. PMMA brushes were grafted on the surface of cross-linked PMMA nanospheres following a multi-stage synthetic strategy. Brushes exhibiting optimal molecular weight for preparation of TSBC were used for characterization of cement viscosity, flexural and compressive mechanical properties, exothermal properties and residual monomer content. Interactions between grafts and free polymer formed during free radical polymerization of the cement were evaluated based on molecular weight measurements of the cement matrix and brushes. Brush-containing cements exhibited lower viscosity at significantly higher polymer fractions in comparison to TSBC. Cements with PMMA brushes had significantly lower polymerization temperatures and residual monomer content. Measurements of molecular weight revealed the existence of a dry brush regime when using the brush compositions selected in this study, which led to a reduction in the mechanical properties of some of the compositions tested. The optimal cement viscosity and maintenance of other important cement properties achieved with addition of PMMA brushes is expected to expand the use of the two-solution cements in a range of applications.

Structure–property relationships of DEAEM-containing bone cements: effect of the substitution of a methylene group by an aromatic ring

New aromatic methacrylates were prepared by substitution of a methylene group from diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEM) by an aromatic ring at two different positions. Diethylamino benzyl methacrylate (DEABM) and N-methacryloyloxyethyl)-N-ethyl-m-toluidine (MEET) were polymerized and incorporated as co-monomers in bone cement formulations. Cements were evaluated in terms of curing and mechanical properties in addition to changes in their glass transition temperature by DSC and surface properties by contact angle measurements. The immediate effect of the presence of an aromatic ring within the amino methacrylate was that it modified the bone cements' physical appearance, as colored products were obtained. It was also observed that peak temperature increased and setting time decreased by the use of DEABM and MEET instead of DEAEM. Simultaneously, both tensile and compressive strength of bone cements were improved; this effect was related to a higher glass transition temperature. In addition, surface properties of cements were modified by the incorporation of the aromatic ring, being more hydrophilic at low molar fractions and more hydrophobic at high molar fractions. Based on these studies, it is concluded that the position of the aromatic ring within the amino methacrylate modified not only the cement's appearance, but also the setting and mechanical properties.

Chlorhexidine delivery system from titanium/polybenzyl acrylate coating: evaluation of cytotoxicity and early bacterial adhesion

OBJECTIVES

The formation of biofilms on titanium dental implants is one of the main causes of failure of these devices. Streptococci are considered early colonizers that alter local environment favouring growing conditions for other colonizers. Chlorhexidine (CHX) is so far the most effective antimicrobial treatment against a wide variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms as well as fungi. This study was designed to develop a CHX delivery system appropriate for healing caps and abutments, with suitable drug release rate, effective as antimicrobial agent, and free of cytotoxic effects.

METHODS

Polybenzyl acrylate (PBA) coatings with and without CHX (Ti/PBA and Ti/PBA-CHX, respectively) and different drug loads (0.35, 0.70, and 1.40%, w/w) were assayed. The cytotoxic effect of CHX released from the different substrates on UMR106 cells was tested by alkaline phosphatase specific activity (ALP), and microscopic evaluation of the cells. Non-cytotoxic drug load (0.35%, w/w) was selected to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of the system using a microbial consortium of Streptococcus species.

RESULTS

The kinetic profile of CHX delivered by Ti/PBA-CHX showed an initial fast release rate followed by a monotonic increase of delivered mass over 48 h. The number of attached bacteria decreased in the following order: Ti>Ti/PBA>Ti/PBA-0.35.

CONCLUSIONS

PBA-0.35 coating is effective to inhibit the adhesion of early colonizers on Ti without any cytotoxic effect on UMR-106 cells.

Combined influence of barium sulfate content and co-monomer concentration on properties of PMMA bone cements for vertebroplasty

In this work, the combined influence of barium sulfate content and co-monomer concentration on the properties of acrylic bone cement for percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) was investigated using a response surface methodology. Cements were prepared with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and either diethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DEAEM) or dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEM) as co-monomer in the liquid phase, while variable amounts of barium sulfate were incorporated to the solid phase in order to improve the radiopacity of cements. It was found that various properties such as peak temperature, setting time, residual monomer content, mechanical properties and injectability, had an effect on the occurrence of interactions (combined effect) between the barium sulfate and DEAEM in bone cements formulations when independent variables were at their maximum.

Bone cements and their potential use in a mandibular endoprosthesis

Bone cement was first used in the 1950s. Since then many modifications have been made and alternatives developed to the original polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement. In view of the use of bone cement in a novel mandibular endoprosthetic system, we performed a review of the current literature on this material. Different cements are described and their potential use in a mandibular endoprosthetic system discussed. The PMMA-based cements are currently the most suitable choice. Plain PMMA has the longest track record and is the default choice for the initial development phase of this system. If there is a significant risk of infection, then an antibiotic-loaded PMMA cement can be selected. However, modified PMMA cements, composite resin cements, osteoinductive calcium phosphate compounds, and cementless fixation are options that offer advantages over PMMA cements, and further research should be conducted to study their suitability.

Influence of lactose addition to gentamicin-loaded acrylic bone cement on the kinetics of release of the antibiotic and the cement properties

The purpose of this study was to characterize a poly(methyl methacrylate) bone cement that was loaded with the antibiotic gentamicin sulphate (GS) and lactose, which served to modulate the release of GS from cement specimens. The release of GS when the cement specimens were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline at 37 degrees Celsius was determined spectrophotometrically. The microstructure, porosity, density, tensile properties and flexural properties of the cements were determined before and after release of GS. A kinetics model of the release of GS from the cement that involved a coupled mechanism based on dissolution/diffusion processes and an initial burst effect was proposed. Dissolution assay results showed that drug elution was controlled by a diffusion mechanism which can be modulated by lactose addition. Density values and mechanical properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus and fracture toughness) were reduced by the increased porosity resulting from lactose addition, but maintained acceptable values for the structural functions of bone cement. The present results suggest that lactose-modified, gentamicin-loaded acrylic bone cements are potential candidates for use in various orthopaedic and dental applications.

New radiopaque acrylic bone cement. II. Acrylic bone cement with bromine-containing monomer

Bromine-containing methacrylate, 2-(2-bromopropionyloxy) ethyl methacrylate (BPEM), had been used in the formulation of acrylic radiopaque cements. The effect of this monomer incorporated into the liquid phase of acrylic bone cement, on the curing parameters, thermal properties, water absorption, density, compression tests and radiopacity was studied. A decrease of maximum temperature and an increase of the setting time were observed with the addition of the bromine-containing monomer in the radiolucent cement composition. Adding BPEM in radiolucent acrylic bone cements composition results in the decrease of glass transition temperature and increase of its thermal stability. Acrylic bone cements modified with bromine-containing comonomer are characterized by polymerization shrinkage lower than the radiolucent cement. Addition of bromine-containing comonomer in radiolucent acrylic bone cement composition determines the increase of compressive strength. Acrylic bone cements modified with bromine-containing comonomer proved to be radiopaque.

Alternative acrylic bone cement formulations for cemented arthroplasties: present status, key issues, and future prospects

All the commercially available plain acrylic bone cement brands that are used in cemented arthroplasties are based on poly (methyl methacrylate) and, with a few exceptions, have the same constituents. It is well known that these brands are beset with many drawbacks, such as high maximum exotherm temperature, lack of bioactivity, and volumetric shrinkage upon curing. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about a number of the constituents, such as toxicity of the activator (N,N,dimethyl-p-toluidine) and possible involvement of the radiopacifier (BaSO(4) or ZrO(2) particles) in third-body wear. Thus, over the years, many research efforts have been expended to address these drawbacks, culminating in a large number of alternative formulations, which may be grouped into 16 categories. Although there are a number of reviews of the large literature that now exists on these formulations, each covers only some of the categories and none contains a detailed discussion of the germane issues. The objective of the present work, therefore, was to present a comprehensive and critical review of the whole field. In addition to succinct descriptions of the cements in each category, there are explicative summaries of literature reports, a detailed discussion of several key issues surrounding the potential for use of these cements in cemented arthroplasties, and a presentation of numerous ideas for future studies.