Composite materials based on epoxy resins as implants for bone tissue (a review)

This review is devoted to implant materials for bone tissue. A variety of bone implants in termrs of their chemical nature (auto-, allo-, xenogenic, metallic and polymeric composite materials), their advantages and disadvantages are characterized. The relevance and prospects of using epoxy resins for medical applications are shown. Particularly the creation of composite materials based on epoxy resins with enhanced physical-mechanical properties is of great importance, since they are suitable for the production of bone implants. Composite materials prepared by the chemical modification of epoxy resins via polyurethane, which provides an increase in biocompatibility and elasticity, and by the physical modification via biologically active substances, which causes a local therapeutic effect of the composites, can be considered as an alternative to existing implants. Biocompatible biologically active fumarate-containing epoxy polyurethane composite materials filled with ferrocene exhibit an increased capacity for biodegradation due to introduction of oligooxypropylene fumarate into their structures, a prolonged therapeutic effect of ferrocene, which is manifested in the stimulation of bone regeneration, and improved physical-mechanical properties sufficient to perform the functions of under bone plates for osteosynthesis.