TISSUE REACTION TO BONE PLATES MADE OF PURE TITANIUM - A PROSPECTIVE,QUANTITATIVE CLINICAL-STUDY

In 54 patients fractures of the long bones were stabilized with limite d-contact dynamic compression plates (LC-DCP) made of titanium. The im plant surfaces were anodized to an interference colour of gold. The su rface morphology effects the tissue response to the implant and was th erefore examined. At implant retrieval, about 18 months post operative ly (range 11 to 27), samples of the soft tissue layer covering the pla te were excised and analysed by histomorphometrical means. The aim was to study the soft tissue reactions at the implant site and further to correlate it to the clinical symptoms of the patients. At retrieval t he plates were covered by a connective tissue layer of 2 mm thickness on average. In patients with local pain a comparatively significant hi gher number of round cells (p=0.001) and macrophages (p=0.01) was foun d. This is consistent with a chronic granulomatous inflammatory reacti on. The localized tissue discoloration observed in about half of the p atients was confirmed as being due to titanium, but it was not the foc us of a cellular reaction and was not correlated with pain. In general the implant showed good biocompatibility with excellent or good clini cal results in 96% of patients.