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Organic polymers can be uniformly surface-modified with bioactive TiO(2) by using a sol-gel method. Titania-based surface-modified polyethylene terephthalate (TiPET) plates and fabric have shown apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid. Here, we first investigated the bone-bonding ability and mechanical bonding strength between the surface-modified layer and the base material (PET) of TiPET plates in vivo. For clinical applicability, we also examined the bone-bonding ability of TiPET fabric and the effect of titania-based surface modification on peri-implant tissue reactions (e.g. connective tissue capsule formation) in bone in vivo. Solid PET plates and PET fabric were prepared. Test plates and fabric were surface-modified with titania solution by using a sol-gel method. Histological examinations of the plates implanted into rabbit tibiae revealed direct contact between the TiPET plate and the bone. After the detaching test, a considerable amount of bone residue was observed on the surface of the TiPET plate. This result suggests that the mechanical bond strength between surface-modified layer and the base material is stronger than that between newly generated bone and tibia, and indirectly ensures the mechanical stability of the surface-modified layer. Pulling tests and histological examinations of the TiPET fabric revealed its excellent bone-bonding ability and micro-computed tomographic images showed excellent osteoconductive ability of TiPET fabric. The connective tissue capsule was much thinner, with less inflammatory tissue around the TiPET implants than around the control samples. These results indicate that TiPET fabric possesses a mechanically stable surface-modified layer, excellent bone-bonding ability, osteoconductive ability, and biocompatibility in bone.

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