Biodegradable poly(butylenecarbonate) porous membranes for guided bone regeneration: In vitro and in vivo studies

Poly(butylene-carbonate) is a potential alternative to poly(epsilon-caprolactone) for biomedical application. Although mechanical properties of porous poly(butylene-carbonate) membranes were inferior to poly(epsilon-caprolactone), its contact angles (47.41 degrees +/- 1.17 degrees) were lower than poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (77.24 degrees +/- 0.54 degrees) (p < 0.001). It degraded faster than poly(epsilon-caprolactone) during a 10-week in vitro experiment (p < 0.01). Moreover, it had excellent bioactivity during simulated body fluid immersion. Cell spreading on poly(butylene-carbonate) was better than that on poly(epsilon-caprolactone). Cell behavior tests including cytotoxicity, proliferation, and differentiation were performed. The poly(butylene-carbonate) is more compatible with cells and promotes cell differentiation. In vivo, the defects covered by poly(butylene-carbonate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) membranes had a similar degree of regeneration at 4 weeks. It was concluded that poly(butylene-carbonate) could potentially be used to guide bone regeneration, and it is a potential new biodegradable polymer.