title: Osseointegration is improved by coating titanium implants with a nanostructured thin film with titanium carbide and titanium oxides clustered around graphitic carbon.
abstract: Titanium implants coated with a 500nm nanostructured layer, deposited by the Ion Plating Plasma Assisted (IPPA) technology, composed of 60% graphitic carbon, 25% titanium oxides and 15% titanium carbide were implanted into rabbit femurs whilst into the controlateral femurs uncoated titanium implants were inserted as control. At four time points the animals were injected with calcein green, xylenol orange, oxytetracycline and alizarin. After 2, 4 and 8weeks femurs were removed and processed for histology and static and dynamic histomorphometry for undecalcified bone processing into methylmethacrylate, sectioned, thinned, polished and stained with Toluidine blue and Fast green. The overall bone-implant contacts rate (percentage of bone-implant contacts/weeks) of the TiC coated implant was 1.6 fold than that of the uncoated titanium implant. The histomorphometric analyses confirmed the histological evaluations. More precisely, higher Mineral Apposition Rate (MAR, μm/day) (p<0.005) and Bone Formation Rate (BFR, μm2/μm/day) (p<0.0005) as well as Bone Implant Contact (Bic) and Bone Ingrowth values (p<0.0005) were observed for the TiC coated implants compared to uncoated implants. In conclusion the hard nanostructured TiC layer protects the bulk titanium implant against the harsh conditions of biological tissues and in the same time, stimulating adhesion, proliferation and activity of osteoblasts, induces a better bone-implant contacts of the implant compared to the uncoated titanium implant.
authors: Laboratory of Preclinical and Surgical Studies, Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Via Di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Veronesi
authors: Laboratory of Preclinical and Surgical Studies, Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Via Di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy; Laboratory of Biocompatibility, Innovative Technologies and Advanced Therapies, Department Rizzoli RIT, Via Di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy.
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Giavaresi
authors: Laboratory of Preclinical and Surgical Studies, Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Via Di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy; Laboratory of Biocompatibility, Innovative Technologies and Advanced Therapies, Department Rizzoli RIT, Via Di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy.
authors: Milena
authors: M
authors: Fini
authors: CNR Istituto di Struttura della Materia, CNR, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Longo
authors: Dept. of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Ple A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors: Caterina Alexandra
authors: CA
authors: Ioannidu
authors: Dept. of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Ple A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Scotto d'Abusco
authors: Dept. of Technologies and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299 Roma, Italy.
authors: Fabiana
authors: F
authors: Superti
authors: Dept. of Technologies and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299 Roma, Italy.
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Panzini
authors: Romana Film Sottili, Anzio, Roma, Italy.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Misiano
authors: Dept. of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Roma, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Palattella
authors: Exotic Animals Clinic, Via S. Giovannini 53, 00137 Roma, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Selleri
authors: Exotic Animals Clinic, Via S. Giovannini 53, 00137 Roma, Italy.
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Di Girolamo
authors: Dept. of Radiology, S.M. Goretti Hospital, Via G. Reni 2, 04100 Latina, Italy.
authors: Viola
authors: V
authors: Garbarino
authors: Dept. of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Ple A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Politi
authors: Dept. of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Ple A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.scandurra@uniroma1.it.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Scandurra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001863:Bone Screws; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006108:Graphite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000187:drug effects*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D014025:Titanium / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; C096521:titanium carbide; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006108:Graphite; D014025:Titanium
keywords: Animal model; Graphitic carbon; Nanostructured thin film; Osseointegration; Osteoblasts; Titanium carbide