Volume 21, Issue 1, 2012

Full Articles: BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF BIPHASIC HYDROXYAPATITE/TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE SCAFFOLDS INTENDED FOR LOW LOAD-BEARING ORTHOPAEDIC APPLICATIONS

F. Baghbani ¹, F. Moztarzadeh ^1,*, A. Gafari Nazari ², A.H. Razavi Kamran ¹, F. Tondnevis ¹, N. Nezafati ¹, M. Gholipourmalekabadi³, M. Mozafari ¹

¹Biomaterials Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Centre of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, P. O. Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran.

²Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.

³Department of Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. tehran, Iran

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail:moztarzadeh@aut.ac.ir Fax: (+98-21) 64542370

ABSTRACT

In this study, a calcium phosphate scaffold of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) for application in osteoconductive and osteoinductive scaffolds was synthesized and characterized. The important note is that the prepared composites converted to HAp/tricalcium phosphate (TCP) after heat-treatment. This class of composites is interesting because porous HAp/TCP generally degrade more rapid than HAp due to the increased resorption rate of TCP. According to the obtained results, the values of elastic modulus, compressive strength and density of the samples reduced with increasing the percentage of the DCPD phase. It is worth mentioning that the mechanical properties of the prepared samples were near the natural compact bone. The samples were examined in vitro to confirm the apatite forming ability of the composites. Also, in vivo examination in a rabbit model was employed. After fully observation it was concluded that new bone formed on the pore walls, as osteoids and osteoclasts were evident two months postoperatively. Based on the obtained results, the prepared scaffolds seem to be a promising biomaterial for low weight bearing orthopaedic applications.

Keywords:Biphasic composites; Hydroxyapatite; Tricalcium phosphate; In vitro; In vivo