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The delayed degradation mechanism and mechanical properties of β-TCP filler in poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/beta-tricalcium phosphate composite suture anchors during short-time degradation in vivo

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo degradation mechanism and the mechanical properties of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/beta-tricalcium phosphate (PLGA/β-TCP) composite anchors. Anchors composed of PLGA and β-TCP were implanted in the dorsal subcutaneous tissue of beagle dogs for 6, 12, 16, and 26 weeks. The degradation of the materials was evaluated by measuring the changes in thermal behavior, crystallinity, and mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the surface and longitudinal section of the material. The evaluation of mechanical strength retention and degradation properties suggest that the addition of β-TCP particles efficiently enhances their mechanical properties and thermal characteristics and delays their degradation rate. By analyzing the results of SEM, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry, we can infer that after 12 weeks, the connection between β-TCP and PLGA becomes less compact, which accelerates the decline of mechanical strength.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was supported by the National High-tech Research and Development Program (863 Program), No. 2015AA033701. Samples were gifts given by Beijing Naton Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing.

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  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    You-Ran Luo, Li Zhang, Cheng Chen, Dong-Yuan Sun, Peng Wu, Yue Wang, Yun-Mao Liao, Zi-Qing Tang & Xing Liang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Xiao-Yan Cao & Cheng-Kung Cheng

  3. Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Xiao-Yan Cao & Cheng-Kung Cheng

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  1. You-Ran Luo
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  2. Li Zhang
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Correspondence to Zi-Qing Tang or Xing Liang.

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Luo, YR., Zhang, L., Chen, C. et al. The delayed degradation mechanism and mechanical properties of β-TCP filler in poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/beta-tricalcium phosphate composite suture anchors during short-time degradation in vivo. Journal of Materials Research 33, 4278–4286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2018.407

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