Fabrication of an integrated cartilage/bone joint prosthesis and its potential application in joint replacement

An integrated cartilage/bone joint prosthesis was designed and fabricated using a two-step molding injection method, in which ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) was used as the upper cartilage layer, and hydroxyapatite/polyamide66 (HA/PA66) composites as the underlying bone layer. Holes punched in the underlying layer improved the interfacial bonding strength between the two layers by means of the mechanical interlocking obviously. Then, the physicochemical properties and in vivo behaviors of the integrated joint prosthesis were investigated. The results showed that the upper layer displayed good bio-tribological properties which were suitable for the articular cartilage replacement, while the underlying layer demonstrated good mechanical performance, excellent biocompatibility and high bioactivity, and could accelerate bone regeneration and the early bio-fixation of the prosthesis. Therefore, the prosthesis prepared here will have a wide prospect to be used in joint replacement.