Degradation kinetics of biodegradable DL-polylactic acid biodegradable implants depending on the site of implantation

A recently developed biodegradable system made of DL-polylactic acid (DL-PLA) for internal fixation of non-weight-bearing bones of the craniofacial skeleton was investigated. The plates were used for rigid fixation of experimental nasal bone fractures in 20 New Zealand white rabbits. In addition, prebent plates were placed in subcutaneous pockets in the backs of the animals. The material was removed after 7, 14, 28, and 42 days, and bending angles, plate stability, molecular weights (MW), and histologic analyses were studied. A significant decrease of MW over time and a difference in MW loss, showing a faster degradation subcutaneously, were observed. Plate stability did not decrease during the interval of 6 weeks, but a loss of bending angle was found in all prebent implants. This effect was caused by memory of DL-PLA. The results suggest that memory of biodegradable materials should be investigated before clinical application and that degradation rates differ according to the site of implantation.