Long-term in vivo degradation behavior and near-implant distribution of resorbed elements for magnesium alloys WZ21 and ZX50

Florian Amerstorfer, Stefan Fischerauer, L. Fischer, Johannes Eichler, Johannes Draxler, Andreas Zitek, Martin Meischel, Elisabeth Martinelli, Tanja Kraus, Stephan Hann, S.E. Stanzl-Tschegg, Peter Uggowitzer, Jörg F. Löffler, Annelie M. Weinberg, Thomas Prohaska

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64 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We report on the long-term effects of degrading magnesium implants on bone tissue in a growing rat skeleton using continuous in vivo micro-Computed Tomography, histological staining and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Two different magnesium alloys—one rapidly degrading (ZX50) and one slowly degrading (WZ21)—were used to evaluate the bone response and distribution of released Mg and Y ions in the femur of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Regardless of whether the alloy degrades rapidly or slowly, we found that bone recovers restitutio ad integrum after complete degradation of the magnesium implant. The degradation of the Mg alloys generates a significant increase in Mg concentration in the cortical bone near the remaining implant parts, but the Mg accumulation disappears after the implant degrades completely. The degradation of the Y-containing alloy WZ21 leads to Y enrichment in adjacent bone tissues and in newly formed bone inside the medullary space. Locally high Y concentrations suggest migration not only of Y ions but also of Y-containing intermetallic particles. However, after the full degradation of the implant the Y-enrichment disappears almost completely. Hydrogen gas formation and ion release during implant degradation did not harm bone regeneration in our samples.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)440-450
Number of pages11
JournalActa biomaterialia
Volume42.2016
Issue number15 September
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 24 Aug 2016

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