Electron beam irradiation-triggered strontium delivery from a bioresorbable fracture fixation device

Abstract

A fracture fixation device capable of stimulating bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption is desirable for treating osteoporotic fractures. Strontium (Sr) is known to have a dual effect on bone metabolism, but its use in fracture fixation devices is still limited to date as the regulation of Sr release remains difficult. In this work, a bioresorbable device with controlled Sr release capability is fabricated by incorporating strontium carbonate (SrCO3) into a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) filament followed by surface modification using electron beam (ebeam) near-surface irradiation. The presence of SrCO3 effectively retards autocatalytic polymer degradation and improves the mechanical durability of the device. The utilization of ebeam irradiation induces controlled surface degradation of the polymer matrix and triggers the release of Sr in a predictable manner. In vitro experiment results reveal that the ebeam irradiated PLGA-SrCO3 filaments have good biocompatibility and can promote the proliferation of human foetal osteoblasts (hFOBs), making it potentially useful for improving osteoporotic fracture fixation.