Abstract
Introduction: Filling bone defects with Polymethylmetaacrylate (PMMA) has been a easy, safe and reliable technique for past four decade. Newly developed Calcium Phosphate Paste (CPP) is a mixture of alpfa Tri Calcium Phsphate (TCP), Tetra Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate and Hydroxyapatite. This paste hardens in 10 minutes and its stffness increases to 80Mpa in seven days. It generates no heat, no gas and requires no organic solvents. In process of hardening, the TCP structure changes to Hydroxyapatite.
Materials and methods: We have used CPP in two TKA cases associate with bone defect, and 14 fracture cases. In a MRSA infected revision TKA case, reconstruction was performed with PMMA-VCM articulated spacers, and they was fixed to bone with CPP-VCM. MRSA infection has been well controlled and weight bearing could be done in 10 days after surgery. In another TKA case, large bone necrosis in femoral condyle was filled with CPP and Cementless inplant were placed on it. Seven days later, this patient could walk with a cane.
Results: CPP filled in bones were not absorbed for a year, and exess CPP in soft tissue were absorbed in several weeks. In 16 cases no side effects were observed during as long as one year.
Conclusion: Handling CPP is much easier than Hydroxyapatite brick or granule. CPP can be useful for total joint arthroplasty, especially in large bone defect or infected cases. It can replace a part of PMMA as a bone cement for implants in the near future.
The abstracts were prepared by Nico Verdonschot. Correspondence should be addressed to him at Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.