Preliminary focus on the mechanical and antibacterial activity of a PMMA-based bone cement loaded with gold nanoparticles

•Evaluation of the in vitro effects of bacterial adhesion and proliferation on modified bone cement samples.•Assessment of anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities of the nanocomposite bone cement.•Analysis of the effect of the inclusion of gold nanoparticles on mechanical performances of a PMMA-based bone cement.

In total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip replacement (THR) the restoration of the normal joint function represents a fundamental feature. A prosthetic joint must be able to provide motions and to transmit functional loads.As reported in the literature, the stress distribution may be altered in bones after the implantation of a total joint prosthesis. Some scientific works have also correlated uncemented TKA to a progressive decrease of bone density below the tibial component. Antibiotic-loaded bone cements are commonly employed in conjunction with systemic antibiotics to treat infections. Furthermore, nanoparticles with antimicrobial activity have been widely analysed. Accordingly, the current research was focused on a preliminary analysis of the mechanical and antibacterial activity of a PMMA-based bone cement loaded with gold nanoparticles. The obtained results demonstrated that nanocomposite cements with a specific concentration of gold nanoparticles improved the punching performance and antibacterial activity. However, critical aspects were found in the optimization of the nanocomposite bone cement.

Graphical abstractDownload high-res image (225KB)Download full-size image