Composite materials based on poly(trimethylene carbonate) and β-tricalcium phosphate for orbital floor and wall reconstruction

Poly(trimethylene carbonate) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (PTMC/beta-TCP) composite materials were prepared by coprecipitation and compression molding. The effect of different amounts of the ceramic component (15 and 30 vol %) on the properties was investigated. The effect of lamination with minimal amounts of poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) was assessed as well. It was hypothesized that these composites would be suitable for orbital floor reconstruction, as the polymer component resorbs enzymatically without the formation of acidic compounds, while the ceramic component could induce bone formation. To asses their suitability as load bearing devices, the flexural properties of the prepared (laminated) composites were determined in three point bending experiments and compared with those of currently used reconstruction devices. The flexural modulus of PTMC composites increased from 617 MPa when introducing 30 vol % beta-TCP. A laminate of this composite with PDLLA (with respective layer thicknesses of 0.8 and 0.2 mm) had a flexural modulus of 64 MPa. When evaluated in a mechanical engineering model of the orbital floor the (laminated) composites materials showed similar behavior compared to the currently used materials. The results suggest that from a mechanical point of view these (laminated) composite sheets should be well suited for use in orbital floor reconstruction. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 100B: 16101620, 2012.