TISSUE-RESPONSE TO TITANIUM IMPLANTS IN EXPERIMENTAL ANTIGEN-INDUCED ARTHRITIS

The healing of threaded, non-alloyed titanium implants in bone was stu died in an experimental model of monoarticular arthritis in New Zealan d white rabbits. Immunization with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and repe ated intra-articular injections with BSA elicited an immune response a nd clinical signs of inflammation. Implants were inserted and 6 wk aft er surgery, with full weight-bearing, the rabbits were killed by perfu sion fixation. Light microscopic morphometry showed that the cartilage was thinner and the subchondral bone had a lower density in the arthr itic joints compared to the control side. The titanium implants in the arthritic joints had a lesser degree of mineralized bone-implant cont act and surrounding bone than the implants inserted in control joints. The present study shows that the healing of titanium implants in the rabbit knee joint is impaired in experimental immunologic arthritis. T his model may be useful for the study of biomaterial-tissue interactio ns under pathological conditions.