OLIVEIRA, F. V.; OLIVEIRA, Francisco Vieira de.
Resumo:
The increase in human life expectancy, influenced by economic, social and alimentary factors and the great technological advances of the medicine, has stimulated the research and the manufacture of various types of biomateriais. The application metallic biomateriais have made an incalculable contribution to substitution and the recovery of damaged bone. However, during the last decades, studies have shown the need for an exchange of this biomaterial. The UHMWPE, with diverse properties has shown to be efficient in diverse applications in medicine and dentistry. However, the UHMWPE is classified as bioinert, needing to have its surface modified by covering with a bioceramic (apatite), with the objective to provide a good integration in the bone. In view of this, the objective of this work was evaluate the interaction of UHMWPE with apatite by means of characterization of this interface, having previously submitted the polymers to different treatment conditions for apatite deposition and put the final product in contact with bovine bone, simulating physiological conditions for future applications in osteosynthesis. For this surface modification, samples of UHMWPE polished with different sandpapers of granulation were attached chemically of the surface using a hydrogen peroxide solution, with the intention to modify the superficial tension of the material. The modified UHMWPE then was recovered by an intermediate layer of apatite folder that was pressed against a bovine bone. This set (UHMWPE/APATITE/BONE) was kept in greenhouse of a temperature of 37°C during seven days to evaluate the interaction of the
polymer-ceramics surfaces. The modified samples of UHMWPE, without and with apatite, made characterized by the following techniques: Superficial tension, X rays Diffraction (XDR), Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) connected to the elementary microanalysis. The analysis of the results
revelead that the best sample for application in osteosynthesis was the attacked smooth UHMWPE with 1200 recovered with apatite.