Modified Cyclodextrin Microparticles to Improve PMMA Drug Delivery Without Mechanical Loss

Abstract Antibiotic‐loaded poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) cement is commonly used as a local delivery system to treat and prevent orthopedic infections associated with arthroplasties in load‐bearing applications. However, these delivery systems are inefficient as release rate sharply declines to subinhibitory levels. Prior studies have shown that by adding in drug‐filled cyclodextrin (CD) microparticles into PMMA cement, a more consistent release is observed, and antibiotic refilling through simulated implantation can be achieved. However, the mechanical strengths of PMMA is reduced. In order to decrease the mechanical loss, modified CD microparticles (PMMA‐CD) are synthesized that contain covalently appended PMMA chains. The compressive strengths, handling characteristics, and refilling ability of PMMA cement with PMMA‐CD are evaluated. Specifically, up to a 13.7% increase in compressive strength is observed when unmodified CD is substituted with PMMA‐CD in PMMA samples with 10 wt% CD microparticles. Additionally, a 13.3% increase in working time, a 7.5% decrease in maximum polymerization temperature, and up to a 32.1% increase in amount of drug refilled are observed with the addition of 10 wt% CD PMMA‐CD into PMMA in comparison to plain PMMA without CD microparticles.