Fixation bone plates made of 70% polyhydroxybutyrate and 30% hydroxyapatite composite were mechanically evaluated. The fifteen composite plates employed presented six holes and measured 60 x 10mm, length and width, respectively, with thickness ranging from 3 to 5mm according to the region. The plates were fixed in acrylic models of cat femur, then were subjected to tests of four-points bending, axial compression, and torsion, using as reference 2mm stainless steel plates. The means of the maximum force in flexion and compression tests were, respectively, 323.20N and 617,70N for the composite plates and 352.33N and 547.70N for the steel plates. In the torsional test, the means of torque were 1.01Nm for the composite plates and 1.15Nm for steel plates. There were no statistical differences between the plates of composite and steel. The physical behavior of the material was different once the composite plates broke up while the stainless steel ones only presented deformation, revealing the low ductility of the composite plates
cat; biomaterial; polyhydroxybutyrate; hydroxyapatite; osteosynthesis
