Properties of calcium carbonate-containing composite scaffolds.

Bone grafting in skeletal reconstruction has become a common task of orthopedic surgeon. Three-dimensional, porous, degradable scaffolds are often used to provide support while the new tissue can be formed in situ. There are numerous materials and techniques involved; however, each has certain drawbacks. One of the patented ceramic bone grafts is made of coral that has many benefits, e.g., its chemical and surface structure similar to that of the cancellous bone, extremely good biocompatibility and optimal pore-size. The drawback, being difficult to overcome, is the manufacturing to the desired shape. In order to maintain the advantageous chemical composition, but to overcome these difficulties, we have manufactured polymer-ceramic scaffolds both by solvent casting and by melt mixing and particulate leaching. The scaffold morphology was examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), while the compressive properties were chosen to validate these substrates mechanically.