Polyvinyl alcohol - hydroxyapatite composite reinforced with catgut fibers as biodegradable bone plates

The management of skeletal bone fracture has been done using titanium bone plates for years. The advantages of this material include the ability to obtain strength and stable fixation; but they also have disadvantages will be required secondary surgery for removal of the bone plates. Poly-L-Lactic-Acid (PLLA) as a biodegradable bone plates have been used to replace the disadvantages of titanium bone plates, but recent studies revealed PLLA was not ideal material for bone plates, unfortunately. The purpose of this study was to investigate mechanical strength of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) - hydroxyapatite composite reinforced with catgut fibers as bone plates material after biodegradation tests. Specimens were prepared for tensile and bending test and immersed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution with pH 7.4 and incubated at 37 °C. Specimens were tested for mechanical strength during the period of 0 and 60 days. The result indicates that polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) - hydroxyapatite composite reinforced with catgut fibers has stable mechanical strength after biodegradation tests. The mechanical strength decreased after biodegradation test in all intervention groups, but still has adequate mechanical strength as biodegradable bone plates.