Homogeneous "Hard-Soft" Biphasic Bone Adhesives Promote Comminuted Fracture Healing through Interfacial Adaptation and Mechanical Property Maintenance
Chuanwei Zhou1,2, Chenyu Liu1,2, Dongyong Sha1,2
1Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China.
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Summary
This study introduces a novel bone adhesive (HB-PTN) for effective fracture repair. The advanced material offers strong, stable fixation in wet conditions, accelerating bone healing.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Comminuted fractures pose surgical challenges for traditional metal fixation.
- Existing bone adhesives lack sufficient adhesion, strength, and osteogenic activity for dynamic, wet environments.
- A need exists for advanced bone adhesives that provide instant, stable fixation and promote healing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel hard-soft biphasic bone adhesive (HB-PTN) with enhanced mechanical properties and osteogenic potential.
- To investigate the structure-property relationships of the HB-PTN hydrogel by tuning the soft phase/hard phase ratio.
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo performance of the HB-PTN hydrogel for comminuted fracture repair.
Main Methods:
- Phase engineering was used to create a sea urchin-inspired structure of phosphorylated polyglutamic acid (P-PGA) encapsulating tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) (hard phase).
- A viscoelastic hydrogel composed of amino-functionalized PEGylated poly (glycerol sebacate) (PEGS-NH2) and P-PGA formed the soft phase.
- Mechanical properties (adhesion, compressive modulus, fatigue resistance), swelling behavior, and in vivo fracture healing were assessed.
Main Results:
- The HB-PTN hydrogel exhibited tunable adhesion (≈280 kPa) and compressive modulus (≈1.02 MPa) by adjusting the soft/hard phase ratio.
- The hydrogel demonstrated high fatigue resistance (92%), limited swelling (130%), and maintained mechanical integrity in simulated body fluid.
- In vivo studies showed durable adhesion and accelerated fracture healing, highlighting the material's potential.
Conclusions:
- The developed hard-soft biphasic bone adhesive (HB-PTN) offers a promising solution for comminuted fracture repair.
- Phase engineering provides a strategy to overcome limitations of traditional bone adhesives, avoiding particle agglomeration and crack formation.
- HB-PTN demonstrates excellent mechanical properties, stability in wet environments, and promotes bone regeneration, indicating significant clinical potential.