Bioactive bone cement: the effect of amounts of glass powder and histologic changes with time

A study was conducted to examine the influence of the amount of glass powder added to a bioactive bone cement of our formula on its mechanical and biologic properties. Serial changes in the cement with time were also examined. The bioactive bone cement consisted of CaO-SiO2-P2O5-CaF2 glass powder and bisphenol-a-glycidyl methacrylate resin. Glass powder was added to the cement in 30, 50, 70, and 80% weight ratios. The compressive strengths of the resulting cements (171-239 MPa) were more than double that of polymethylmethacrylate cement (68 MPa). Histologic examination of rat tibiae bearing artificial defects packed with each bioactive cement showed direct bone contact 4 weeks after surgery. The cement with a higher percentage of glass powder showed better direct formation of bone around its periphery with a thicker reactive layer. Under scanning electron microscopic observation, the reactive layer showed increased levels of calcium and phosphorus. Examination of histologic changes up to 26 weeks showed progressive bone formation around the cement and no sign of biodegradation.