MACROPOROUS BIPHASIC CALCIUM-PHOSPHATE CERAMICS - INFLUENCE OF MACROPORE DIAMETER AND MACROPOROSITY PERCENTAGE ON BONE INGROWTH

A total of 60 cylindrical 6 x 6 mm samples of a macroporous biphasic c alcium phosphate (MBCP) ceramic were implanted into a distal femoral s ite in 30 rabbits. These samples represented six kinds of implants wit h two different macropore diameters and three different macroporosity percentages. Analysis of backscattered electron images of implant surf aces analysed by a factorial design method showed that implants with 5 65 mu m pore size provided more abundant newly formed bone both in per ipheral and deep pores than those with 300 mu m pore size. No signific ant differences were found between implants with 40 and 50% macroporos ity, suggesting that the influence of macropore size on bone ingrowth was greater than that of macroporosity percentage. MBCP implants with 565 mu m pore diameter and 40% macroporosity represented the optimal a ssociation for homogeneous and abundant bone ingrowth. (C) 1998 Publis hed by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.