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Bone fractures often require internal fixation using plates or screws. Normally, these devices are made of permanent metals like titanium providing necessary strength and biocompatibility. However, they can also cause long-term complications and may require removal. An interesting alternative are biocompatible degradable devices, which provide sufficient initial strength and then degrade gradually. Among other materials, biodegradable magnesium alloys have been developed for craniofacial and orthopaedic applications. Previously, we tested implants made of magnesium hydroxide and RS66, a strong and ductile ZK60-based alloy, with respect to biocompatibility and degradation behaviour. Here, we compare the effects of dissolving magnesium hydroxide and RS66 cylinders on bone regeneration and bone growth in rabbit condyles using microtomographical and histological analysis. Both magnesium hydroxide and RS66 induced a considerable osteoblastic activity leading to distinct but different spatio-temporal patterns of cancellous and periosteal bone growth. Dissolving RS66 implants induced a prominent periosteal bone formation on the medial surface of the original condyle whereas dissolving magnesium hydroxide implants enhance mainly cancellous bone formation. Especially periosteal bone formation was completed after 6 and 8 weeks, respectively. The observed bone promoting functions are in line with previous reports of magnesium stimulating cancellous and periosteal bone growth and possible underlying signalling mechanisms are discussed. Biodegradable magnesium based implants are promising candidates for use in orthopedic and traumatic surgery. Although these implants are in the scientific focus for a long time, comparatively little is known about the interactions between degrading magnesium and the biological environment. In this work, we investigated the effects of two degrading cylindrical magnesium implants (MgOH 2 and RS66) both on bone regeneration and on bone growth. Both MgOH 2 and RS66 induce remarkable osteoblastic activities, however with different spatio-temporal patterns regarding cancellous and periosteal bone growth. We hypothesize that degradation products do not diffuse directionless away, but are transported by the restored blood flow in specific spatial patterns which is also dependent on the used surgical technique. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biodegradable magnesium-based alloys are very promising materials for temporary implants. However, the clinical use of magnesium-based alloys is often limited by rapid corrosion and by insufficient mechanical stability. Here we investigated RS66, a magnesium-based alloy with extraordinary physicochemical properties of high tensile strength combined with a high ductility and a homogeneous grain size of ∼1μm which was obtained by rapid solidification processing and reciprocal extrusion. Using a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we analyzed the biodegradation behavior and the biocompatibility of this alloy. In vitro, RS66 had no cytotoxic effects in physiological concentrations on the viability and the proliferation of primary human osteoblasts. In vivo, RS66 cylinders were implanted into femur condyles, under the skin and in the muscle of adult rabbits and were monitored for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8weeks. After explantation, the RS66 cylinders were first analyzed by microtomography to determine the remaining RS66 alloy and calculate the corrosion rates. Then, the implantation sites were examined histologically for healing processes and foreign body reactions. We found that RS66 was corroded fastest subcutaneously followed by intramuscular and bony implantation of the samples. No clinical harm with transient gas cavities during the first 6weeks in subcutaneous and intramuscular implantation sites was observed. No gas cavities were formed around the implantation site in bone. The corrosion rates in the different anatomical locations correlated well with the local blood flow prior to implantation. A normal foreign body reaction occurred in all tissues. Interestingly, no enhanced bone formation could be observed around the corroding samples in the condyles. These data show that RS66 is biocompatible, and due to its interesting physicochemical properties, this magnesium alloy is a promising material for biodegradable implants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In course of a study of high strength, ductile alloys based on the Mg–Li system, we have identified a new quaternary phase with a composition of Mg31Zn26Ca13Li8. The structure of this phase was investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) using the Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction (CBED) technique. Full atomic model is proposed using direct methods applied to powder X-ray diffraction data. The phase has a cubic primitive unit cell with lattice parameter a = 9.386(8)Å and its crystal symmetry belongs to the (No. 200) space group. The unit cell of the new phase exhibits a new structure type, which is a variant of the Mg2Zn11 structure. The reliability factors characterizing the Rietveld refinement procedure are: R p = 8.6%, R wp = 12.4%, R B = 6.9% and R f = 4.4%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]