The effect of cross-linking agents on acrylic bone cements containing radiopacifiers

Poly(methylmethacrylate) PMMA, based cements are the most widely used bone cements in joint replacement surgery. Although, there are some disadvantage s in the use of these cements, the clinical success rate is fairly high. In trinsic radiopacity is difficult to achieve in these cements due to the con stituent elements of the PMMA polymer. As radiopacity is an essential requi rement, PMMA bone cements have been rendered radiopaque by blending heavy m etal ion salts, which tend to adversely affect the mechanical and biologica l properties of the bone cement. In this study, dimethacrylate cross-linkin g agents were added to the monomer phase in order to generate a cross-linke d matrix, with barium sulphate as a radiopaque agent. The results suggest t hat the mechanical properties can be improved or retained with the addition of such cross-linking agents. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.