Enhanced bone screw fixation with biodegradable bone cement in osteoporotic bone model

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Orthopedic Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Osteoporosis significantly compromises bone quality, leading to reduced bone screw fixation strength.
• This fragility increases the risk of screw loosening and fixation failure in orthopedic procedures.
• Novel biomaterials are needed to enhance screw stability in osteoporotic bone.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) bone cement in improving bone screw fixation.
• To quantify the enhancement in fixation strength provided by PCL bone cement in an osteoporotic bone model.

Main Methods:

• Biomechanical testing of bone screws in a polyurethane foam-based osteoporotic bone model.
• Assessment of removal torques and pullout strengths with and without PCL bone cement.
• Utilized cortical, self-tapping, and cancellous screws in the experimental setup.

Main Results:

• PCL bone cement significantly increased removal torques by over six-fold for cancellous screws.
• Pullout strengths were enhanced three to 12 times, depending on screw type and model material.
• Demonstrated substantial improvement in screw fixation stability in the simulated osteoporotic environment.

Conclusions:

• Biodegradable PCL bone cement shows significant potential for stabilizing screw fixation in osteoporotic bone.
• Further research is warranted, including studies with real osteoporotic bone and dynamic fatigue testing, prior to clinical application.