title: In vitro and in vivo evaluation of an alumina-zirconia composite for arthroplasty applications.
abstract: In order to improve the reliability and the mechanical properties of orthopaedic hip prosthesis, new ceramic composites starting with nanosized powders of alumina and zirconia have been recently developed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the biological tolerance of one of these sintered ceramics and of its alumina and zirconia constitutive nanosized powders with both in vitro and in vivo approaches. At first, osteoblasts and fibroblasts were cultured either upon sintered ceramic discs with polished or rough surfaces or in the presence of the corresponding alumina or zirconia powders at various concentrations. Thereafter, we chronically injected these powders in the knee articulation of rats. In vitro, the materials showed no deleterious effect on cell proliferation, extra-cellular matrix production (human type I collagen and fibronectin) or on cell morphology. In vivo, the histological examination showed only a very moderate and non-specific granulomatous response of the synovial membrane but no major inflammation as clinically described with metals or polyethylene wear debris. Besides its improved physical properties, this recently developed alumina-zirconia composite showed satisfactory biocompatibility.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, UPSP 2007.03.135, Lyon Cedex 08, France. olivier.roualdes@gmail.com
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Roualdes
authors.forename: Marie-Eve
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Duclos
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gutknecht
authors.forename: Lucien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frappart
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001178:Arthroplasty; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013499:Surface Properties; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D015040:Zirconium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; C028541:zirconium oxide