Composite biomaterials for bone repair and regeneration -reconstruction of orbital floor defects in an animal model

In the treatment of orbital floor fractures, bone is ideally regenerated. The materials currently used for orbital floor reconstruction do not lead to the regeneration of bone. Our objective was to render polymeric materials based on poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) osteoinductive, and to evaluate their suitability for use in orbital floor reconstruction. For this purpose, osteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) particles were introduced into a polymeric PTMC matrix. Composite sheets containing 50 wt% BCP particles were prepared. Also laminates with poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) were prepared by compression moulding PDLLA films onto the composite sheets. After sterilization by gamma irradiation, the sheets were used to reconstruct surgically-created orbital floor defects in sheep. The bone inducing potential of the different implants was assessed upon intramuscular implantation.