title: In vitro comparative assessment of the mechanical properties of PMMA cement and a GPC cement for vertebroplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a Glass Polyalkenoate Cement that is suitable for vertebroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Testing was carried out to assess the effect of gamma irradiation used for sterilisation, on the glass transition temperature as well as its mechanical properties, including compressive strength and biflexural strength in vivo as well as testing GPC and PMMA cements post injection in cadaveric human vertebral bone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a trend to a higher failure load required for the GPC cement group compared to the current standard PMMA injected group but this was not statistically significant with this small sample size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are encouraging for future research to continue on GPC cements for use in vertebroplasty.
authors.affiliation: University College Hospital Limerick (UCHL), Ireland; Centre for Active Management of Lifelong Ageing (CAMLA), Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Omar Ali
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Abouazza
authors.affiliation: University College Hospital Limerick (UCHL), Ireland.
authors.forename: Finbarr
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Condon
authors.affiliation: Centre for Active Management of Lifelong Ageing (CAMLA), Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ailish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hannigan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Active Management of Lifelong Ageing (CAMLA), Graduate Entry Medical School (GEMS), University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Colum
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dunne
keywords: Biflexural strength; Compressive strength; Glass Polyalkenoate Cement; Polymethylmethacrylate; Vertebroplasty