A New Technioue for Intact Interface Studies of Bone and Biomaterials using Light and Electron Microscopy

Abstract

One of the main problems associated with cemented joint replacement is aseptic loosening, which occurs at the bone-cement interface; this often leads to failure of the implantStandard techniques to date have been adequate for studying the histological changes at the interface. For ultrastructural studies, ultrathin sections of the edge of bone have always been difficult to obtain; phase problems exist due to the edge being composed of hard mineral banded by a seam of fibrous collagen and covered by a layer of lining cells, the osteoblasts. We present a new method for the fixation, processing and cutting of acrylic cements (polymethylmethacrylate) and ceramics (tri -calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite) to establish in-vivo response of bone to these materials.