Bone-plates and screws of bioabsorbable poly (L-lactide)--an animal pilot study.
Poly (L-lactide), a polymer of lactic acid (PLLA), with an extremely high molecular weight (Mv up to 1 x 10(6] has been synthesised under strictly controlled conditions resulting in a new microporous material with excellent mechanical properties. Bone-plates and screws machined from PLLA were used for fixation of two artificial mandibular fractures in sheep effected by a specially designed bone clamp. Fracture healing was uneventful without visible callus formation. Plates and screws of PLLA gave good stability over a sufficiently long period to enable normal fracture healing. Application in humans seems to be justified.
Bos
R R
RR
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Rozema
F R
FR
Boering
G
G
Nijenhuis
A J
AJ
Pennings
A J
AJ
Jansen
H W
HW
D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D004867:Equipment Design; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation; D006253:Haversian System / Q000473:pathology; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011091:Polyesters; D012756:Sheep; D014945:Wound Healing
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)