Bioabsorbable Ciprofloxacin-Containing and Plain Self-Reinforced Polylactide-Polyglycolide 80/20 Screws: Pullout Strength Properties in Human Cadaver Parietal Bones

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the pullout forces of recently developed bioabsorbable ciprofloxacin-containing and plain self-reinforced polylactide/polyglycolide (SR-PLGA) miniscrews in human cadaver parietal bones. Parietal bone pieces (approximately 6 x 20 cm) were collected from five human male cadavers (44-75 years of age). Fifty plain SR-PLGA 80/20 miniscrews (diameter = 1.5 mm, length = 4.0 mm) and 50 ciprofloxacin-containing SR-PLGA 80/20 miniscrews (diameter = 1.5 mm, length = 4.0 mm) were used in this study. The force needed to pull the screws from human parietal cadaver bones was measured using a tensile strength-testing machine. The screw pullout speed was 10 mm/min. Means and SDs were calculated and analyzed using the Student t test (SPSS version 10.0 for Windows). The pullout forces of the ciprofloxacin-containing and plain miniscrews were 66.8 +/- 4.9 N and 96.3 +/- 9.3 N (significant difference, P < 0.001), respectively. The most common cause of failure was screw-shaft breakage (60% in the case of ciprofloxacin-containing screws and 52% in the case of plain SR-PLGA screws). Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fibrillar strip-like microstructure of plain SR-PLGA miniscrews turns into a coarse, uniaxial, platelet-like morphology in antibiotic SR-PLGA miniscrews as a result of the addition of ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin-containing SR-PLGA screws consequently have a lower pullout strength than corresponding plain conventional SR-PLGA screws. Nevertheless, it is evident that the ciprofloxacin-containing screws can be applied in craniomaxillofacial surgery in nonload-bearing or slightly load-bearing applications.

Pull-Out Strength of Multifunctional Bioabsorbable Ciprofloxacin-Releasing Polylactide-Polyglycolide 80/20 Tacks

“…12 With ciprofloxacin-containing SR-PLGA 80/20 screws, the most common cause of failure was breakage of the screw shaft. 19 In that study also with plain SR-PLGA 80/20 screws, the most common cause of failure was screw-shaft breakage, but nearly as common cause was breakage of threads. 19 This is in line with the fact that highest stresses in a pull-out test are toward the threads (or barbs in tacks) and screw shaft.…”

“…19 In that study also with plain SR-PLGA 80/20 screws, the most common cause of failure was screw-shaft breakage, but nearly as common cause was breakage of threads. 19 This is in line with the fact that highest stresses in a pull-out test are toward the threads (or barbs in tacks) and screw shaft. In these new ciprofloxacin-releasing SR-PLGA tacks, the barbs were thicker than in plain SR-PLGA tacks because it was estimated that increasing antibiotic content would reduce the strength of the implants.…”

“…12 In another earlier study, ciprofloxacin-containing SR-PLGA screws had lower pull-out strength than plain SR-PLGA screws because adding of any drug may compromise the strength of the bioabsorbable material. 19 In scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs, fractures with axial direction were seen in the fibrillar striplike microstructure of plain SR-PLGA screw threads. 19 The morphology was coarser in SEM micrographs of ciprofloxacin-containing SR-PLGA screw threads.…”

Biodegradable stent

“…If the viscoelastic polymers are quickly increased, the rearranging time of the chains are shorter so that they become brittle; on the other hand, if they are slowly increased, the chains are rearranged so that they can be easily deformed. The physiochemical characteristics of the commercial biodegradable polymers are shown in Table 2 as follows [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46]. Also, the glass transition temperature (T g ), an important physical characteristics in the polymers, was summarized.…”

Ciprofloxacin‐releasing bioabsorbable polymer is superior to titanium in preventing Staphylococcus epidermidis attachment and biofilm formation in vitro

“…In cases of vascular access, attempts have been made to prevent the attachment of bacteria by using various types of antibiotic coating systems. 7 Similarly, new bioabsorbable osteofixation devices, which can be manufactured in the form of screws that are osteoconductive, bioabsorbable, and antibiotic-releasing, with reliable biomechanical properties, 8,9 offer the possibility of combining antibiotics with them.…”