ABSTRACT
Coral from different areas has been used for bone graft substitute yet the assessment of the Persian Gulf coral is left unnoticed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Persian Gulf coral as a bone graft substitution in repairing bone defects. Unilateral drill hole defect] 4 mm X 1.5 cm[was created in greater trochanter of femur in 12 rabbits and implanted with coral in experimental group. The drill hole remained empty in control group. Radiographs were obtained immediately after surgery and at 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 weeks post-implantation. Later, the rabbits were sacrificed at the end of 9th week for histopathological studies. Radiographs taken at 9th week showed that the implants were being resorbed and the empty spaces were reduced in size by new bone formation. Histopathological studies on samples collected from the site of implantation were indicative of enormous multinuclear giant cells infiltration at 9th week while progressive degeneration of coral and regeneration of new bone at the site of defect was obvious, simultaneously. New bone replacement almost covered 40% of the areas at the site of artificial defect. There was no rejection of implants among the experimental group. Our data showed that processed coral has the potential to be regarded as a bone substitute for reconstructive bone surgery and could be used as a suitable scaffolding material