Methyl Methacrylate as a Moldable, Implantable Biomaterial for Use with Ultrasound Transducers

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), an arthroplastic implant material, has been explored as an implant medium for Doppler transducers for blood flow detection in the deep and peripheral vascular bed. A mixture ratio of 0.5 parts polymerized PMMA to 1.0 part monomeric methyl methacrylate (MMA) was found to yield satisfactory characteristics. A significant lack of tissue reaction was noted; at worst, a generalized mild inflammation attributable to implantation surgery was found in both test subjects and controls. Signal transmission was found to be unaltered by comparison of signal characteristics with the prepared implant probe and an uncoated transducer in the surgical site. Examination of the probes, after as long as 4 months, demonstrated no failure due to material characteristics. PMMA is an efficient bonding and moldable compound and is desirable because of its acoustic properties for implantable ultrasound applications.