J. Hauser, S. Bensch, C. Krueger, S. A. Esenwein, BG Trauma Center Bergmannsheil - University Hospital, Bochum, Germany; H. Halfmann, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Purpose: For several years now medical implant materials such as implant steel, titanium, polymers and silicone play a major role in surgical applications. Despite their benefits the lack of biocompatibility of the implants is still a problem. From materials science point of view, the biocompatibility of a material strongly depends on the nature of its surface. The chemical composition, mechanical stiffness, surface energy, roughness and spatial and topological organization of the topmost layers of the implant material are crucial in the interaction with the human body. Methods: In order to modify the surface properties and to improve the biocompatibility of implant materials, we tried to modify the material surfaces via collagen I coating. Two different methods of coating were compared. First implant steel (X2CrNiMo18-5-3, ISO 5832-1), titanium-based alloy (Ti4Al6V, ISO 5832-3) and silicone were coated by wetchemical method and second by a cold low pressure plasma-mediated collagen coating method. In a second step of the study, the influence of collagen coating on proliferation and adhesion of osteoblast like SAOS2 cells was analyzed by alamar blue and calcein stainings. Results: Collagen coating could not be achieved on the non plasma treated alloys and silicone probes. Interestingly only if pretreated with gas-plasma a deposition of collagen I on the surfaces could be achieved. The plasma treatment of the implant materials led to a compact and consolidated collagen I layer on the surface. The cell proliferation and cell attachment rate on the collagen coated surfaces was significantly higher than on the non coated surfaces. Conclusions: Gas plasma treatment yields lasting collagen coatings of implant material resulting in an improved implant biocompatibility in vitro.
Summary: Medical implant materials such as implant steel, titanium, polymers and silicone play a major role in surgical applications. Biocompatibility of material applied strongly depends on the nature of their surfaces. In order to modify the surface properties and to improve the biocompatibility of implant materials we tried to modify the surfaces of implant steel (X2CrNiMo18-5-3, ISO 5832-1), titanium-based alloy (Ti4Al6V, ISO 5832-3) and silicone via collagen I coating. Two different methods of coating were compared. Half of the implants were coated by a wetchemical method and the others by a cold low pressure plasma-mediated collagen coating method. Also the influence of collagen coating on proliferation and adhesion of osteoblast like SAOS2 cells was analyzed. Collagen coating could not be achieved on the non plasma treated alloys and silicone probes. Only if pretreated with gas-plasma a deposition of collagen I on the surface could be achieved. The plasma treatment of the implant materials led to a compact and consolidated collagen I layer on the surface. The cell proliferation and cell attachment rate on the collagen coated surfaces was significantly higher than on the non-coated surfaces.
