Development of bioactive biomaterials with bactericidal effect

• Grant number: 12/19994-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: January 01, 2013 - December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Cristina da Silva Rigo
• Grantee: Eliana Cristina da Silva Rigo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the research for materials with characteristics closer to the bone, there is hydroxyapatite (HA), the main mineral component of bone. Due to its biocompatibility and bioactivity properties of this calcium phosphate is commonly used in synthetic form for the reconstruction of the skeleton and some coatings on metal alloys used in prosthetic femur, knee and dental. Although the success rates of these types of implants are dependent on osseointegration, success and survival of ourselves, to avoid costly surgical revisions, are dependent on the prevention of bacterial infections after implantation. Therefore, this prevention is expensive and long stay in hospital, contributes to increased morbidity of the patient, is of utmost importance. A common strategy in this case is the delivery of antibiotics in a controlled manner at the implant site, but the ability of some strains of bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics has attracted growing interest in the controlled release of antibacterial agents with broad activity and low incidence of bacterial resistance, such as silver, zinc and copper. It is known that silver particles bind to the cell membrane of bacteria and inhibit the breathing process, in addition, the bacterial strains commonly involved in cases of infections of implants are included in the pathogens that can eliminate the silver. This work aims to obtain hydroxyapatite doped with silver using different routes to that end. (AU)