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Biomechanical behavior of bone scaffolds made of additive manufactured tricalciumphosphate and titanium alloy under different loading conditions

Abstract

Purpose: The repair of large segmental bone defects caused by fracture, tumor or infection remains challenging in orthopedic surgery. The capability of two different bone scaffold materials, sintered tricalciumphosphate and a titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V), were determined by mechanical and biomechanical testing. 
Methods: All scaffolds were fabricated by means of additive manufacturing techniques with identical design and controlled pore geometry. Small-sized sintered TCP scaffolds (10 mm diameter, 21 mm length) were fabricated as dense and open-porous samples and tested in an axial loading procedure. Material properties for titanium alloy were determined by using both tensile (dense) and compressive test samples (open-porous). Furthermore, large-sized open-porous TCP and titanium alloy scaffolds (30 mm in height and diameter, 700 µm pore size) were tested in a biomechanical setup simulating a large segmental bone defect using a composite femur stabilized with an osteosynthesis plate. Static physiologic loads (1.9 kN) were applied within these tests. 
Results: Ultimate compressive strength of the TCP samples was 11.2 ± 0.7 MPa and 2.2 ± 0.3 MPa, respectively, for the dense and the open-porous samples. Tensile strength and ultimate compressive strength was 909.8 ± 4.9 MPa and 183.3 ± 3.7 MPa, respectively, for the dense and the open-porous titanium alloy samples. Furthermore, the biomechanical results showed good mechanical stability for the titanium alloy scaffolds. TCP scaffolds failed at 30% of the maximum load. 
Conclusions: Based on recent data, the 3D printed TCP scaffolds tested cannot currently be recommended for high load-bearing situations. Scaffolds made of titanium could be optimized by adapting the biomechanical requirements.

J Appl Biomater Funct Mater 2013; 11(3): 159 - 166

Article Type: ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

DOI:10.5301/JABFM.2013.10832

Authors

Jan Wieding, Andreas Fritsche, Peter Heinl, Carolin Körner, Matthias Cornelsen, Hermann Seitz, Wolfram Mittelmeier, Rainer Bader

Article History

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Authors

  • Wieding, Jan [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Orthopedics, Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock - Germany
  • Fritsche, Andreas [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Orthopedics, Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock - Germany
  • Heinl, Peter [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Materials Science, Institute of Science and Technology of Metals, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen - Germany
  • Körner, Carolin [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Materials Science, Institute of Science and Technology of Metals, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen - Germany
  • Cornelsen, Matthias [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology, Chair of Fluid Technology and Microfluidics, University of Rostock, Rostock - Germany
  • Seitz, Hermann [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology, Chair of Fluid Technology and Microfluidics, University of Rostock, Rostock - Germany
  • Mittelmeier, Wolfram [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Orthopedics, Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock - Germany
  • Bader, Rainer [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
    Department of Orthopedics, Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock - Germany

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