CANCELLOUS BONE-GRAFT FOR SKELETAL RECONSTRUCTION MUSCULAR VERSUS PERIOSTEAL BED - PRELIMINARY-REPORT

The purpose of this project was to verify the value of perfused perios teum as a possibly ideal bed for autogenous cancellous bone graft. The model consisted of a 7 cm defect in the sheep tibia, stabilized with a locked intramedullary nail. The defect was filled with conventional cortico-cancellous bone graft covered either with a muscle or a perfus ed osteoperiosteal flap. The incorporation of the graft was analysed b y a series of radiological and mechanical examinations. The graft embe dded in perfused osteo-periosteum was rapidly remodelled to a strong, circular bone. Mechanical testing revealed even better values than for normal bone. The graft embedded in muscle showed an important resorpt ive phase before scanty, incomplete, reconstitution of bone appeared. Mechanical properties were poor. The study supports the hypothesis tha t perfused osteo-periosteum is an ideal bed for cancellous bone graft and that perfused muscle is not the ideal environment for incorporatio n of the graft.