T. Tuominen et al., Native bovine bone morphogenetic protein improves the potential of biocoral to heal segmental canine ulnar defects, INT ORTHOP, 24(5), 2000, pp. 289-294
We studied the effect of a composite implant consisting of coral and native
bovine bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) on the healing of 2 cm segmental d
efects in the canine ulna. Plain coral and cortical autograft bone implants
were used as controls. The fixation was temporary for 9 weeks with an intr
amedullary Kirschner wire (6 ulnas with a composite implant of coral and BM
P, 6 with plain coral and 6 with an autograft) or a plate and screws (3 uln
as with a composite implant and 3 with plain coral). X-rays were taken at 3
, 6, 9, 12, 16, 26 and 36 weeks, and mechanical torsion tests were per form
ed at the end of the study. The score for bone formation and bone union eva
luated from radiographs was significantly higher in the composite implant g
roup than in the plain coral group at 16 weeks, but the score was even high
er with autografts. BMP accelerated the resorption of the coral implant. Th
e mechanical strength of the composite implants was higher than that of the
bones with a plain coral implant (P<0.05), while the mechanical strength o
f the coral implants, even with BMP, was significantly lower than the stren
gth of autografts (P<0.01). In conclusion, BMP enhanced the capacity of a c
oral implant to heal a segmental ulnar defect by increasing bone formation,
but the effect of this combination was not as good as that of a cortico-ca
ncellous autograft.