In Vivo Performance of Magnesium Alloy LX41 in a Rat Model

The biodegradation behavior of a ternary alloy Mg-4Li-1Ca (LX41) was investigated. Preliminary studies of the alloys showed that its property profile may qualify it as a material of choice for bioresorbable bone implants. However, no data on the in vivo behavior of the alloy were available to date. Here we report the results on the in vivo response of juvenile growing rats to implantation over a period of 24 weeks based on micro-computed tomography and histology examination. A comparison with an established Mg-Zn-Ca alloy revealed a higher biodegradation rate of LX41. However, LX41 implants were well integrated, and their faster degradation did not negatively affect bone in-growth and morphology. While lower degradation rates are still desirable, especially at the initial stage of bioresorption, the results obtained suggest that the moderate degradation rates observed will not be detrimental to long-term outcomes of LX41 implantation.