Antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of titanium nickelide augments with the addition of silver nanoparticles for bone grafting: an experimental study

BACKGROUND: The relevance of this study was supported by the increasing number of infectious complications of bone augmentation in children and adults. Currently, porous titanium nickelide alloys are among the most preferred materials used in bone plasty. Despite the observable advantages of porous nickelide titanium alloys in terms of biochemical and biomechanical compatibility with the body, research on the antibacterial activity of alloys is ongoing to counter the development of infections at the implant–biological tissue border. AIM: To perform an experimental study of the biocompatible antibacterial surface in porous titanium nickelide alloys with the addition of silver nanoparticles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Titanium nickelide alloys with 62% porosity were obtained using the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis method from nickel, titanium, and nanosilver powders at concentrations of 0.2 at.% Ag, 0.5 at.% Ag, and 1.0 at.% Ag, respectively. The experiment was conducted on nine sexually mature female white laboratory rats. They were divided into three groups, with three rats each. All animals were implanted with titanium nickelide along with porous granules of silver additives. The first group was the control, the second received 0.2 at.% silver, and the third received 0.5% silver. The standard method of incubating Staphylococcus epidermidis in liquid broth in the presence of the studied images was used to determine bactericidal activity, followed by seeding on solid media and counting colonies. RESULTS: The antibacterial effect of the samples on S. epidermidis gradually increased with increasing silver concentration. The significance of the differences between the experiment and control was confirmed by Student’s criterion p 0.005, whereas the sample without silver nanoparticles and the control do not differ significantly. Thus, these alloys may have bioactive properties because they contain silver nanoparticles. An alloy with a silver concentration of 0.5 at.% Ag showed the best antibacterial activity to S. epidermidis. In the clinical evaluation of the results of the experimental study, purulent inflammatory complications were not observed in all animals at all times. On day 75, the animals underwent computed tomography, which showed good occupancy of the bone defect and absence of a dystrophic effect on the area where the bone and soft tissue are in contact with the material. CONCLUSIONS: If the concentration of silver nanoparticles is increased up to 0.5 at%, the antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility of the implant also increase. Clinical experimental evaluation in all groups of animals showed that osteointegration of alloys with 0.5 at.% Ag begins immediately after implantation and is completed 2 weeks earlier than that in the remaining groups.