Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Materials, Chemical and Polymer Engineering, Buein Zahra Technical University, Buein Zahra, Iran.
2
Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4
School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. & Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, TD.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
5
Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6
Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Background: Despite significant progress in calcium phosphate cement (CPC) development, conventional formulations still suffer from limitations that limit their clinical applicability.
Methods: In this study, novel injectable nanocomposite bone cements for bone and cranial defect reconstruction were developed by incorporating an equimolar mixture of tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) powders as the primary reactive phase into 3 wt/v% hyaluronic acid (HA) solutions with two different molecular weights (500 and 1750 kDa). The physical, physicochemical, and structural properties of the developed cements were evaluated and compared with those of conventional CPC, prepared using the same powder phase and distilled water as the liquid component.
Results: It was demonstrated that the prolonged setting time and low compressive strength of CPC can be significantly improved by incorporating HA in a molecular-weight-dependent manner. HA also acted as a viscosity-enhancing agent, showing a pronounced effect on cement injectability, particularly with high-molecular-weight HA. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the set cements revealed that, in both control and HA-containing formulations, the initial reactants were completely converted into nanostructured apatite after immersion in simulated body fluid. A slightly higher rate of apatite formation was observed in the HA 1750 kDa group compared to the other formulations. SEM observations confirmed a globular microstructure composed of tightly interconnected plate-like apatite nanocrystals in all samples.
Conclusion: The developed calcium phosphate–HA nanocomposite cements have strong potential to be used as injectable bone graft materials for bone defect repair following appropriate in vivo evaluations.
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