In vivo evaluation of porous hydroxyapatite ceramics including bone minerals using pig model

We synthesized HAp including bone minerals (bone HAp) comprising six ions present in living bone (Na+, K+, Mg2+, F-, Cl- and CO32- ions). In this study, we performed in vivo evaluation of porous ceramics fabricated from bone HAp powders by implantation into porcine soft and hard tissues. Addition of carbon beads as porogens had little effect on the crystalline phase of bone HAp ceramics, but firing in a CO2 gas atmosphere resulted in reduced mechanical strength. Bone HAp porous ceramics implanted in soft tissues did not exhibit osteoinductivity, but showed superior bioresorbability and osteoconductivity when compared with pure HAp in the case of implantation into bone tissue. These results suggested that synergistic effects due to the substitution of multiple ions may enhance bioresorbability and osteoconductivity of bone HAp ceramics.