Enhanced guided bone regeneration by asymmetrically porous PCL/pluronic F127 membrane and ultrasound stimulation

Recently, we developed a novel method for fabricating a guided bone regeneration (GBR) membrane with an asymmetrical pore structure and hydrophilicity by an immersion precipitation method. Results from an animal study, in a cranial defect model in rats, indicated that the unique asymmetrically porous GBR membrane would provide a good environment for bone regeneration. In the present study, we applied low intensity pulsed ultrasound as a simple and non-invasive stimulus to an asymmetrically porous polycaprolactone (PCL)/Pluronic F127 GBR membrane-implanted site transcutaneously in rats to investigate the feasibility of using ultrasound to stimulate enhanced bone regeneration through the membrane. It was observed that the ultrasound-stimulated PCL/F127 GBR membrane group had much faster bone regeneration behavior than a PCL/F127 membrane group w/o ultrasound or a control group (w/o membrane and ultrasound). The greater bone regeneration behavior in the GBR membrane/ultrasound group may be caused by a synergistic effect of the asymmetrically porous PCL/F127 membrane with unique properties (selective permeability, hydrophilicity and osteoconductivity), and the stimulatory effect of ultrasound (induction of angiogenesis and osteogenesis of cells).