PCL Electrospun Sheet-Embedded Microporous PLGA Membrane For Effective Guided Bone Regeneration

Bone healing is one of the importance phenomena in various clinical fields. The rapid appearance of fibrous connective tissue in bone defect during the healing, which can lead to the incomplete bone formation, has been considered as a major problem. To solve this, guided bone regeneration (GBR) membranes which can prevent fibrous connective tissue infiltration and thus promote bone healing have been used as a simple therapy. In this study, we fabricated a novel GBR membrane by the immersion precipitation of PCL/Tween 80 electrospun sheet filled with PLGA/Pluronic F127 solution. The top surface of prepared membrane had nano-size pores (∼100 nm) which can effectively prevent from fibrous connective tissue invasion but permeate nutrients, while the bottom surface had micro-size pores (∼ 40 µm) which can improve adhesiveness with bone and provide osteoconductivity. The morphology, mechanical (tensile and suturing) strengths and model nutrient permeability of the prepared membrane and its bone regeneration behavior using a rat model (skull bone defect) were compared with those of PLGA/F127 membrane, PCL/Tween 80 electrospun sheet, and a commercialized GBR membrane, Bio-Gide®. From the result, the PCL electrospun sheet-embedded PLGA membrane (hybrid membrane) seems to be a good candidate as a GBR membrane for the effective permeation of nutrients and osteoconductivtity as well as the good mechanical strength to maintain a secluded space for the bone regeneration.