Degradation characteristics of a biodegradable fracture fixation plate

A study was performed to study the in vitro degradation characteristics of a fully biodegradable polymeric bone plate with a polymeric fiber mesh for reinforcements. The materials used for the fabrication of the plates were polylactic acid (PLA), Vicryl woven mesh and polycaprolactone (PCL). The plates were fabricated in a mold at high temperature and pressure. Mechanical properties of these plates were evaluated in 3-point bending using Instron 1011 tensile testing machine. The stiffness and the strength of the biodegradable plates were enhanced by the use of a biodegradable mesh as a reinforcement. The PCL coating was introduced to retard the degradation of the PLA matrix because PCL undergoes degradation at a slower rate.