Activated bioadhesives for bone repair

• Main Author: Thng, Jeanette Jun Ting
• Other Authors: Terry W. J. Steele
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/76762
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The use of pins, screws and plates to stabilise fractured bones involve excessive drilling of holes into bones. Drilling of holes can result in osteolysis due to the increase in local temperature of the surrounding tissues. This project explores the use of a UV-activated diazirine bioadhesives in bone repair surgery. Activated diazirine bioadhesive provides surgeons with better control of the onset of crosslinking and allows surgeons to adjust the strength of adhesion based on surrounding tissues. Transparent rods were inserted into bovine cortical bone to mimic pin fixation on human bone where the bioadhesive was subsequently light activated. Optical testing was done prior to the tests to assess the intensity of UV light transmitted through the transparent rods. Compression lap shear tests were also conducted after activation of the bioadhesive to determine the strength of adhesion of the bioadhesive on bones. The lap shear strength at failure obtained from the tests was 25kPa which demonstrates proof-of-concept application and can be further explored for use in orthopaedic.