Biomimetic Calcium Phosphate Coatings Applied to Polyurethane Substrates

The use of polyurethane in medical applications has been reported and evaluated by several authors. The material can be involved in a diverse range of orthopaedic implants including but not limited to joint replacement implants. Success in the application of an orthopaedic implant depends on multiple factors. Implant design, surface configuration, fixation method and surgical procedure play critical roles to decrease the failure rate of implantation. An insufficient fixation technique may cause serious issues such as movement, delamination, deformation and detachment of an implant which leads to failure of the implant and thus the requirement for additional treatment. Tissue ingrowth techniques are reliable methods for long-term fixation of orthopaedic implants. One promising technique would be the addition of a bone-like apatite coating to improve integration of implant into the bone tissue. We currently are designing a novel joint replacement prosthesis, built from PU. A bioactive, osteo-conductive coating could contribute to its long-term fixation to bone.