Composite bone cements based on PMMA loaded with a ferrimagnetic bioactive glass-ceramic for the treatment of bone tumour

Bone tumors are degenerative pathologies, which create bone pains, fractures, hypercalcemia, and infection phenomena that profoundly impair patient’s quality of life. In order to approach these problems, a new composite bone cement for hyperthermia applications was developed, based on poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) loaded with bioactive, ferrimagnetic and antibacterial glass ceramic particles. A first part of the research work was focused on the design, synthesis, optimization and characterization of the bioactive and ferrimagnetic composite bone cements. The PMMA matrix was a commercial product while the disperse phase was developed at the DISAT laboratory of Politecnico di Torino. A full characterization was performed with morphological, structural and compositional analysis, mechanical and setting time tests, micro computed tomography reconstruction, calorimetric measures, electromagnetic tests, bioactivity and biocompatibility evaluations and preliminary magnetic heating cells under the effect of an alternate magnetic field. A second part of the research consisted in the modification of the bioactive and magnetic glass ceramic by doping with silver and copper, both by melting and quenching route and ion exchange in molten salts technique. Aim of this second part was the optimization of the glass ceramic to impart antibacterial properties. The characterization of the silver or copper doped glass ceramics was focused on the morphological and compositional analysis, magneto-thermic measurements, inhibition halo tests and bioactivity evaluations. Very encouraging results were collected during the composite evaluations, but further investigations are needed to optimize the antibacterial glass ceramic formulation.