In vivo study of stainless steel and Ti-13Nb-13Zr bone plates in a sheep model.
A sheep study was performed to compare the in vivo performance of bone plates of 316L stainless steel and a new titanium alloy, titanium + 13% niobium + 13% zirconium (Ti-13Nb-13Zr), which had been subjected to a diffusion hardening treatment to produce a blue, wear resistant surface. Bone plates and screws of stainless steel and diffusion hardened Ti-13Nb-13Zr were implanted in adult sheep, in one group (with unosteotomized femurs) for 16 weeks, and in the other (with osteotomized femurs) for 8 weeks. At harvest, the diffusion hardened Ti-13Nb-13Zr devices had superior fixation strength, with greater screw torque out strength and fewer loose screws. In the osteotomized animals, the femurs with diffusion hardened Ti-13Nb-13Zr plates had higher torsional strength after removal of the implants; however, the difference was not statistically significant. In the unosteotomized animals, the torsional strength of the femurs was identical for both materials. There was a slightly reduced incidence of infection (bacterial adhesion) for the sheep with diffusion hardened Ti-13Nb-13Zr implants. In a parallel in vitro study, the magnetic resonance imaging compatibility of Ti-13Nb-13Zr was significantly superior to that of stainless steel. This indicates that diffusion hardened Ti-13Nb-13Zr may be an attractive alternative material for osteosynthesis.
Seligson
D
D
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
Mehta
S
S
Mishra
A K
AK
FitzGerald
T J
TJ
Castleman
D W
DW
James
A H
AH
Voor
M J
MJ
Been
J
J
Nawab
A
A
D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003116:Color; D004058:Diffusion; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005269:Femur / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008280:Magnetics; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012756:Sheep; D013193:Stainless Steel / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D019415:Torque
D000497:Alloys; C090153:titanium alloy (TiNb13Zr13); D013193:Stainless Steel; D014025:Titanium