The current state and promising innovative directions to development methods for bioimplant sterilization

Abstract

We have analyzed the state-of-the-art methods for sterilization of bone implants. The problem of finding effective bioimplant sterilization methods is still far from its optimal solution and remains as urgent as before. The factors limiting further development of the main biomaterial sterilization methods include limitations related to each existing method and the use of technologies with sterilizing effect. Comparative analysis of the main techniques for bioimplant sterilization that are used in medical and biological areas (treatment with ethylene oxide, radiation, wet warmth, liquid media, and ozone) allows for a conclusion on the advantages of the radiation sterilization. However, the choice is challenged by the dilemma: higher radiation dose would increase the sterilization effect, but at the same time can lead to multiple morphological abnormalities in the tissues, deterioration of their mechanical characteristics, destruction of morphogenetic proteins and consequently to lower efficacy of the reparative bone formation. As a  result, the material can become unsuitable for clinical use. One of the real approaches to solve this problem is to use as low absorbed radiation dose as possible during irradiation of biomaterials, at least to 15 kGy. The developments made by the authors within the last years have shown that such a  result can be achieved by the use of combines sterilization techniques based on combines effects of a  number of physical and chemical factors on the biomaterial being sterilized. Mutual enhancement of the sterilizing effects of these factors creates prerequisites for their synergy, whereby the intensity of each factor can be reduced. This makes it possible to decrease the degree of harmful adverse events associated with each individual factor with higher total effect. The search for innovative solutions for the urgent problems of the bone bioimplant sterilization, for the development of the state-of-the-art health-sparing technologies can be successful only with unification of the efforts by specialists from related sciences. This would allow for creating of breakthrough technologies for sterilization and for optimization of this procedure with achievement of its high efficacy.