Biological evaluation of hydroxyapatite/poly‐L‐lactide (HAp/PLLA) composite biomaterials with poly‐L‐lactide of different molecular weights intraperitoneally implanted into mice

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Najman, S. | Savic, V. | Djordjevic, Lj. | Ignjatovic, N. | Uskokovic, D.^;

Affiliations: Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, 18000 Nis, Yugoslavia | Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, K. Mihailova 35/IV, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. Dr D. Uskokovic, Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, K. Mihailova 35/IV, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Tel.: +381 11 636994/185437; Fax: +381 11 185263; E‐mail: uskok@itn.sanu.ac.yu.

Abstract: Histopathologic analysis of the tissue with HAp/PLLA implants was made and the leukocyte formula and chemiluminescence response of peritoneal phagocytes 2, 7 and 12 weeks after intraperitoneal implantation studied. Implants were made of HAp/PLLA biocomposites with PLLA molecular weights of 50,000 (HAp/PLLA(50)) and 430,000 g/mol (HAp/PLLA(430)) and of crushed devitalized femur bone of a young Wistar rat. Leukocyte formula and chemiluminescence of peritoneal phagocytes showed no systemic inflammatory response. The studied implants caused locally weak inflammatory reaction. The resorption of implants ranges in intensity (polymer resorption, i.e. disappearance rate), from the highest with the bone implants, low with HAp/PLLA(50), to the lowest with the HAp/PLLA(430) implants. Good resorption of the biocomposites and its mutual ingrowth with connective tissue prove their good biocompatibility.

Keywords: Hydroxyapatite/poly‐L‐lactide composite biomaterial, bone implants, in vivo, intraperitoneal implantation

Journal: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 61-70, 2004