In vitro and in vivo degradation behavior of Mg-2Sr-Ca and Mg-2Sr-Zn alloys.

Magnesium alloys with integration of degradability and good mechanical performance are desired for orthopedic implants. In this paper, Mg-2Sr-Ca and Mg-2Sr-Zn alloys were prepared and the degradation as well as the bone response were investigated. Compared with the binary Mg-2Sr alloys, the addition of Ca and Zn improved the in vitro and in vivo corrosion resistance. Mg-2Sr-Ca and Mg-2Sr-Zn alloys exhibited more uniform corrosion and maintained the configuration of the implants 4 weeks post-implantation. The in vivo corrosion rates were 0.85 mm/yr for Mg-2Sr-Zn and 1.10 mm/yr for Mg-2Sr-Ca in comparison with 1.37 mm/yr for Mg-2Sr. The in vitro cell tests indicated that Mg-2Sr-Ca and Mg-2Sr-Zn alloys exhibited higher MG63 cell viability than Mg-2Sr alloy. Furthermore, these two alloys can promote the mineralization and new bone formation without inducing any significant adverse effects and this sound osteogenic properties suggest its attractive clinical potential.