Alkaline-treated silk fibroin/calcium phosphate cement may be a reliable composite bone cement for minimally invasive orthopedic surgeries, according to a study in International Journal of Nanomedicine.
Here are four things to know:
1. Researchers composited the alkaline-treated silk fibroin with α-tricalcium phosphate to obtain tSF/CPC composite, which was characterized using mechanical tests, scanning electron microscopy, handling property and biocompatibility tests as well as sheep vertebral augmentation tests.
2. After being treated with calcium hydroxide, larger SF particles and more abundant negative charge appeared in the alkaline-treated SF solution. The alkaline-treated SF/CPCs had a compact structure consisting of several clusters and hydroxyapatite crystals.
3. The mechanical property of the alkaline-treated SF/CPC composite cements was significantly enhanced. The cements had improved injectability, anti-washout property and decent biocompatibility.
4. Study authors concluded the alkaline-treated SF/CPCs could augment defective sheep vertebrae to restore mechanical strength.