there is provided a polymethylmethacrylate bone cement composition that includes the addition of from about 10 % by weight to about 30 % by weight of calcium hydroxide . the bone cement is used for orthopaedic procedures , injuries , or disease states that have compromised the metabolism of local hard and soft tissues , largely due to an acidic environment . in an aqueous environment , the calcium hydroxide is slowly released from pores in the polymer matrix as calcium and hydroxyl ions to provide a method for stimulating healing by maintaining or elevating local ph in the tissues adjacent to bone cement . it has also been found that the calcium hydroxide ameliorates the toxic effects of antibiotics which are often included in the bone cement .