Fabrication of PLLA/C(3)S Composite Membrane for the Prevention of Bone Cement Leakage

Kyphoplasty is an important treatment for stabilizing spine fractures due to osteoporosis. However, leakage of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement during this procedure into the spinal canal has been reported to cause many adverse effects. In this study, we prepared an implantable membrane to serve as a barrier that avoids PMMA cement leakage during kyphoplasty procedures through a hybrid composite made of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) and tricalcium silicate (C(3)S), with the addition of C(3)S into PLLA matrix, showing enhanced mechanical and anti-degradation properties while keeping good cytocompatibility when compared to PLLA alone and most importantly, when this material design was applied under standardized PMMA cement injection conditions, no posterior wall leakage was observed after the kyphoplasty procedure in pig lumbar vertebral bone models. Testing results assess its effectiveness for clinical practice.