The effect of centrifugation on the fracture properties of acrylic bone cements
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume 68(7): 1125-1128
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9355 PMID: 3745258 Document Number: 274072
In this study, centrifugation did not alter the static of cyclic fracture properties of bone cement. Tests of fracture toughness and fatigue-crack propagation of centrifuged specimens of commercial cements (with and without antibiotic additions) demonstrated no significant difference from control values. Among the cements tested, Palacos (with and without antibiotic) was found to have a significantly higher fracture toughness than either Simplex or Zimmer. We attributed this difference in fracture toughness to the higher molecular weight measured for the Palacos cements. For the tested cements, only Simplex had a significantly greater volume contraction on setting due to centrifugation. The results of our study demonstrate that centrifugation of bone cement does not improve the cement's resistance to fracture in the presence of surface imperfections, such as those found at the bone-cement interface.