The use of sintered bone in spinal surgery

The sintered bovine bone True Bone Ceramics (TBC) is one of the biomaterial s based on calcium phosphate, an organized crystal of bone mineral and a bi omaterial possessing a natural trabecular structure. We examined whether th e sintered bovine bone can integrate with recipient bone and adjust to the strength of recipient bone for anterior spinal fusion in an animal model. B ased on radiographic evaluation, manual palpation, biomechanical testing, a nd histological examination, spinal fusion with TBC resulted in a compositi on and structure similar to that of autograft (and to no implantation). TBC , with its moderate strength, tended to adjust to the bone stiffness of the host bone in the respective specimens as new bone growth developed. Our ob servations warrant further clinical investigation of the use of sintered bo ne as an effective spinal arthrodesis, especially in patients who have frag ile vertebrae, as in osteoporosis.