Development of light-responsive, fast-setting photocatalytic radical acrylic resins with enhanced biomechanical properties for the augmentation of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
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Authors
Williams, Tyree
Issue Date
2024-08
Type
Electronic thesis
Thesis
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Biomedical engineering
Alternative Title
Abstract
The management of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) critically depends on the biomechanical, chemical, and physical properties of bone cement. Recent advancements in this field have involved the incorporation of bioactive molecules and adjustments in reactant-substrate ratios to enhance both the operative and mechanical characteristics of bone cement. Despite progress, commercially available cement still lacks the ability for surgeons to control setting properties in real-time, which is crucial to prevent cement extrusion and minimize air pocket formation during vertebral augmentation. Moreover, fast-setting cements often present a mismatch in mechanical properties with native vertebral bone, leading to poor stress distribution and potential adjacent vertebral fractures. This research identifies three controllable, fast-setting injectable photocatalytic radical acrylic resins that aim to mimic the mechanical properties of vertebral cortico-cancellous bone and maintain peak temperatures below thresholds likely to cause heat-induced tissue damage. Utilizing UV light to initiate the setting, this approach allows for precise control over the resin hardening time. The dissertation employs a needs-based translational framework to thoroughly assess the physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of the photocatalytic radical acrylic resins, identifying key factors to overcome current limitations in VCF augmentation. The photo-active cement utilized in this study is primarily composed of photoinitiators such as Camphorquinone (CQ), lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (lap), and 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone (DMPA), with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) serving as an accelerator. The incorporation of BPO into photo-active bone cement significantly improved their setting times, although it did not enhance the bending strength or Young’s modulus compared to traditional acrylic formulations. Intriguingly, these modifications resulted in mechanical properties that closely align with those of healthy vertebral bone, a benchmark that traditional cements fail to meet. While these findings do not conform to the industry standards specified in iso 5833:2002, they raise compelling questions about the potential for developing biomimetic mechanical properties in acrylic bone cement. This discrepancy challenges the current industry norms and suggests a shift towards tailoring bone cement properties to more closely mimic natural bone, potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes in orthopedic and spinal surgeries.
Description
August 2024
School of Engineering
School of Engineering
Full Citation
Publisher
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY