Interests and limits of calcium phosphates ceramics in veterinary orthopaedic surgery

In order to reduce spongious bone autografts and cortical bone allografts d isadvantages in orthopaedic surgery, different bone substitutes such as cal cium phosphate ceramics have been proposed. These ceramics are biocompatibl e and osteoconductive, according to the concept of dissolution - precipitat ion - resorption - bone substitution, because of their physico-chemical cha racteristics. Those remain good bone substitutes providing that their physi co-chemical characteristics are compatible with bone ingrowth and that basi c principles are respected, among which close contact with adjacent bone an d mechanical stability.