[Mechanical strength and in vivo degradation of human hair keratin-polylactic acid composite rods].
OBJECTIVE
To test the mechanical strength and observe the in vivo degradation of self-made human hair keratin-polylactic acid (HHK-PLA) composite rods designed for use in internal fixation.


METHODS
Twenty such HHK-PLA composite rods were tested for shear strength, bending strength and bending modulus using the material testing system MTS-858 Mini Bionix. A total of 36 samples of HHK-PLA composite rods designed for internal fixation of bone fracture were randomly implanted in dorsal subcutaneous tissue of 18 SD rats, and weight losses of these rods were measured 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28 weeks after the implantation to evaluate the in vivo degradation of the material.


RESULTS
The initial shear strength of HHK-PLA rod was 241 MPa, bending strength 358 MPa, and bending modulus 13 GPa. The test demonstrated a slower rate of degradation in SD rats in earlier period following implantation than in later period.


CONCLUSIONS
HHK-PLA composite rods have good initial mechanical strength and tolerable degradation in vivo, and may be used potentially for internal fixation of the weigh-bearing bones of the limbs.
Yin
Dong
D
Department of Anatomy, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. tonyinn@fimmu.com
Yuan
Lin
L
Zhao
Wei-dong
WD
Yu
Lei
L
Li
Jian-yi
JY
Dai
Jing-xing
JX
Pan
Gang-ming
GM
Zhang
Yu
Y
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D007633:Keratins