Difference in tissue response to nitrogen-ion-implanted titanium and c.p. titanium in the abdominal wall of the rat

Ion implantation modifies the surface properties of different materials. We have compared the biological properties of titanium implanted with nitrogen with those of pure titanium. Implants were inserted in the abdominal wall of rats. The implants with surrounding tissue were excised after 1 and 6 weeks, and embedded in epoxy resin. The bulk metal was removed electrochemically and the tissue cut for light and electron microscopy. Using this technique the implant surface, formed by a thin oxide layer, remains and appears in sections as a dense line. After 1 week both types of implants were surrounded by a fluid space containing proteins and scattered macrophages but few polymorphonuclear granulocytes. The fluid space was wider around ion-implanted titanium (52 +/- 22 microns) than around pure titanium implants (15 +/- 3 microns). After 6 weeks the fluid space had largely disappeared around both type of implants. Around pure titanium implants macrophages and fibroblasts, quantified in 1-micron-thick sections in the light microscope, were present in about the same concentration in the inner tissue zone (within 25 microns from the implant surface). Around ion-implanted titanium macrophages predominated in the inner zone and multinuclear giant cells were present in almost all sections. Around both type of implants fibroblasts increased and macrophages decreased with increasing distance from the surface. In the electron microscope macrophages close to the surface of pure titanium were of small size and had an ultrastructure indicating a low activity. Macrophages close to ion-implanted titanium were large and had an active appearance as indicated by the presence of large amounts of endoplasmic reticulum and large Golgi areas in the cytoplasm. Our observations indicate that modification of the surface properties of titanium implants by ion implantation changes the biological properties.