FeMn and FeMnAg biodegradable alloys: An in vitro and in vivo investigation
Luke Saliba,
Keith Sammut,
Christabelle Tonna,
Foteini Pavli,
Vasilis Valdramidis,
Ray Gatt,
Ryan Giordmaina,
Liberato Camilleri,
William Atanasio,
Joseph Buhagiar,
Pierre Schembri Wismayer
Affiliations
Luke Saliba
Department of Trauma, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD 2090, Malta; Department of Anatomy, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Keith Sammut
Department of Trauma, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD 2090, Malta; Department of Anatomy, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Christabelle Tonna
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Foteini Pavli
Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Vasilis Valdramidis
Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Ray Gatt
Department of Trauma, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD 2090, Malta
Ryan Giordmaina
Department of Trauma, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD 2090, Malta
Liberato Camilleri
Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
William Atanasio
Mortuary and Anatomic Pathology Department, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, MSD 2090, Malta
Joseph Buhagiar
Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta; Corresponding author.
Pierre Schembri Wismayer
Department of Anatomy, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta
Iron-based biodegradable metal bone graft substitutes are in their infancy but promise to fill bone defects that arise after incidents such as trauma and revision arthroplasty surgery. Before clinical use however, a better understanding of their in vivo biodegradability, potential cytotoxicity and biocompatibility is required. In addition, these implants must ideally be able to resist infection, a complication of any implant surgery. In this study there was significant in vitro cytotoxicity caused by pure Fe, FeMn, FeMn1Ag and FeMn5Ag on both human foetal osteoblast (hFOB) and mouse pre-osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cell lines. In vivo experiments on the other hand showed no signs of ill-effect on GAERS rats with the implanted FeMn, FeMn1Ag and FeMn5Ag pins being removed largely uncorroded. All Fe-alloys showed anti-bacterial performance but most markedly so in the Ag-containing alloys, there is significant bacterial resistance in vitro.
