Fixation Performance of Bioabsorbable Zn-6Ag Pins for Osteosynthesis

Abstract

Bioabsorbable implants have become the focus of the latest research for new bone implant materials. With favorable characteristics such as compatible mechanical characteristics, no long-term side effects, and even osteogenesis enhancing properties they seem to be the future of osteosynthesis. Besides these characteristics, they must perform on the same level as traditional implant materials regarding their mechanical support for bone healing. A particular focus in the research for bioabsorbable implants has been on metal alloys, as these have particularly good mechanical properties such as excellent maximum force and high stability. This study focused on the shear strength of new bioabsorbable zinc and magnesium pins in comparison to traditional implants such as K-wires and cancellous bone screws in bone-implant connections. During quasi-static and fatigue loading experiments, magnesium pins (MAGNEZIX, Syntellix AG, Hannover, Germany) and new zinc silver pins (Zn-6Ag) by Limedion (Limedion GmbH., Mannheim, Germany) were compared with conventional osteosynthetic materials. The pins made of the new bioabsorbable alloys withstood the cyclic loads to the same extent as the conventional osteosynthesis materials. In the quasi-static loading, it was shown that the novel Zn-6Ag from Limedion has the same shear strength as the magnesium pin from Syntellix, which is already in clinical use. In addition, the zinc pin showed significantly better shear strength compared to osteosynthesis with K-wires (p < 0.05).