A bioactive glass powder-ammonium hydrogen phosphate composite for repairing bone defects

Bioactive glass powder (AW-G) was made into a rigid compound by mixing with ammonium hydrogen phosphate and was evaluated as a bone-defect filler. The proximal metaphysis of the rat tibia was drilled and packed with (a) polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement, (b) AW-G powder, (c) AW-G powder with ammonium hydrogen phosphate (AW-G)-(A-P), or (d) nothing, as a control. The animals, with different implantation periods up to 24 weeks, were sacrificed and the defective sites were histologically analyzed. The results revealed direct bonding between the bone tissue and the (AW-G)-(A-P). The general inflammatory reaction of (AW-G)-(A-P) was less than that of PMMA bone cement. The compressive strength of (AW-G)-(A-P) implanted subcutaneously into rats was measured chronologically and deterioration did not occur during a period of 24 weeks. The rigidity increased to 1.6 times 6 months after implantation as compared with the initial value. This compound can be used as paste and is transformed into a rigid compound in about 4 min without noticeable elevation of the temperature. Thus, this (AW-G)-(A-P) composite can be used as a bone defect filler, and there is a possibility that it can even be used as a bone cement if higher rigidity can be attained.