Block Bone Xenograft

Block Bone Xenograft: Evaluation of the Properties of a Bovine Substitute. Preliminary Report.
Cesar Luchetti, Mariano Lopez, Miguel Ayala, Adolfo Baez, Cecilia Carbone, Alicia Kitrilakis

Department of Implant Dentistry. National University of La Plata. Argentina

Block bone grafts are usually needed in oral reconstruction. Autografts still remains as the best, and almost the only, option in these cases. There are various bone block substitutes in the market, however the evaluation of their properties is lacking.

Aim: To evaluate the behavior of a bovine bone xenograft.

Material and Methods: 40 Wistar rats, SPF, 16 weeks old and 500 gr. of weight were used. A bovine bone xenograft was placed over the lateral face of the femur, which was previously perforated, and was immobilized by means of circumferential ligatures. The animals were divided in four groups, to be evaluated at 30 (T1), 60 (T2), 90 (T3) and 120 days (T4)

Results: Xenograft manipulation presented difficulties due to its fragility. It showed a great capillarity, which allows it to get imbibed in blood quickly after placed over the receptor area. At this moment we have evaluated the first group. Macroscopically, the xenograft was rigid, without signs of resorption and firmly joined with the receptor area. Microscopically, it showed a good integration, with a great quantity of cells and fiber, compatibles with an osseous matrix.

Conclusions: Within the limits of the present study, we can conclude that the xenograft was compatible with the receptor area. Evaluations at T2, T3 y T4 will permit to evaluate the evolution and the remodeling dynamics of the xenograft.

Block Bone Xenograft in its original package.

Macroscopic view of the block bone xenograft.

It is a bovine bone piece, without any

organic content.

Animal model. The skin over the femur is

shaved before the surgery.

A cylindrical bur is used to perforate the cortical

of the femur to activate a medullar response.

Xenograft is placed over the lateral face

of the femur.

Xenograft immobilized by means of

circumferential ligatures.

Suture. This is done in two planes separately:

muscles and skin.

Macroscopic view of block bone xenograft

integration.

The black line shows the original bone level.



Closer macroscopic view of block bone

xenograft integration.

Microscopic view of block bone xenograft

integration showing immature bone organization

between the remaining structure of the graft.