Biodegradable cement type bone implant materials based on calcium phosphates and calcium sulphate

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) are widely used in hard tissue replacement because of their excellent biocompatibility. Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) are an interesting alternative for sintered calcium phosphate ceramics due to their mouldability and self-setting properties which allow them to conform to even the most complex bone defects. However, one of the major limitations of CPCs is their relatively low resorption rate, not optimal for bone regeneration. The aim of our studies was to combine a stable hydroxyapatite with more soluble α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) or calcium sulphate (CS) (resorbability: CS>>α-TCP>HA) to develop biomaterial with gradual degradation. Promising materials for use in minimally invasive surgery for bone defects repair were obtained. It was found that the degradation rate of hydroxyapatite based bone substitutes can be controlled by the addition of an appropriate kind and amount of more soluble constituent. The impact of the setting component (α-TCP or CS) on the physicochemical properties of the final products was confirmed. Furthermore the influence of organic additives (chitosan, methylcellulose, alginate) on the final materials characteristic was proven. Solutions of organic additives, applied as the liquid phases, significantly improved the workability of cement pastes. It has been demonstrated that implant materials based on calcium sulphate and α-TCP differed in their setting times, mechanical strength, dissolution rate and morphologies of apatite layers on their surfaces after soaking in simulated body fluid. The reason of observed differences is a higher susceptibility of calcium sulphate to both disintegration and degradation