The goal for current orthopedic implant research is to design implants that have not only good biocompatibility but also antibacterial properties. TiO 2 nanotubes (NTs) were fabricated on the titanium surface through electrochemical anodization, which added new properties, such as enhanced biocompatibility and potential utility as drug nanoreservoirs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial properties and biocompatibility of NTs loaded with vancomycin (NT-V), both in vitro and in vivo. Staphylococcus aureus was used to study the antibacterial properties of the NT-V. There were three study groups: the commercially pure titanium (Cp-Ti) group, the NT group (nonloaded vancomycin), and the NT-V group. We compared NT-V biocompatibility and antibacterial efficacy with those of the NT and Cp-Ti groups. Compared with Cp-Ti, NT-V showed good antibacterial effect both in vitro and in vivo. Although the NTs reduced the surface bacterial adhesion in vitro, implant infection still developed in in vivo studies. Furthermore, the results also revealed that both NTs and NT-V showed good biocompatibility. Therefore, the NTs loaded with antibiotic might be potentially used for future orthopedic implants.

In patients with chronic ACL-MCL lesions, simultaneous reconstruction of the ACL and MCL can significantly improve the medial, sagittal, and rotatory stability of the knee at short-term follow-up.

Three-dimensional (3D) functional solids with programmable hierarchical micro/nanoarchitectures are critical for several fundamental applications, including structural composites, microfluidics, photonics, and tissue engineering. Due to the broad range of application possibilities, a large amount of effort has been devoted to the in-depth exploration of various top-down and bottom-up strategies to construct these complex multi-dimensional structures. In this review, we introduce and discuss selected examples of fabrication techniques which have successfully developed large area, novel 3D functional architectures with exquisite control over their morphology at the nano/subnanolevel. Emphasis is placed on the nanofabrication techniques, their salient features as well as advantages. A summary of the emerging application possibilities of such structures, especially in biomedicine, energy, and device construction, is also discussed.

No abstract