P. Cuevas et al., OSTEOPROMOTION FOR CRANIOPLASTY - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS USINGACIDIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR, Surgical neurology, 47(3), 1997, pp. 242-246
BACKGROUND Many growth factors influence the bone healing cascade. Fur
thermore, the occasional failure of bone repair may in part be due to
perturbation in the activation of local growth factors. Local activati
on of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) at the fracture site may serve
to increase neovascularization, and induce early granulation formation
that can affect bone healing. METHODS We have performed a rat parieta
l (6 x 3 mm) critical size defect (CSD). Human recombinant acidic fibr
oblast growth factor (hraFGF) imbided in agarose was topically adminis
tered at the craniectomy site. Control animals received agarose alone
in the same manner. Three weeks after surgery, osteopromotion was hist
ologically evaluated. RESULTS hraFGF-treated animals show a continuous
bridge of regenerated bone extending from one edge of the defect to t
he other. None of the parietal defects that had been treated with agar
ose contained new bone in the central portion.CONCLUSION Our results s
uggest an important role of FGFs to promote large cranioplasty repair
and support the use of these proteins as an alternative choice for bon
e grafts and bone substitutes. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.