Negative Effect of Rapidly Resorbing Properties of Bioactive Glass-Ceramics as Bone Graft Substitute in a Rabbit Lumbar Fusion Model

BACKGROUND: Bioactive glass-ceramics have the ability to directly bind to bones and have been widely used as bone graft substitutes due to their high osteoconductivity and biocompatibility. CaO-SiO2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramics are known to have good osteoconductivity and are used as bone graft extenders. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the resorbing properties of glass-ceramics in bone fusion after producing and analyzing three types of CaO-SiO2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramics with high osteoconductivity that had enhanced resorption by having an increased B2O3 content. The three types of CaO-SiO2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramics with B2O3 contents of 8.0, 9.0, and 9.5 weight % were designated and grouped as P20B80, P10B90, and P5B95, respectively. Glass-ceramic types were tested for fusion rates and bone formation by employing the lumbar 5-6 intertransverse process fusion model in 51 New Zealand male rabbits. Bioactivity was assessed by soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF). RESULTS: In vitro study results showed sufficient hydroxycarbonate apatite layer formation occurred for P20B80 in1 day, for P10B90 in 3 days, and for P5B95 in 5 days after soaking in SBF. For the rabbit lumbar spine posterolateral fusion model, the autograft group recorded a 100% fusion rate with levels significantly higher than those of P20B80 (29.4%), P10B90 (0%), and P5B95 (14.3%), with high resorbing properties. Resorbing property differences among the three glass-ceramic groups were not significant. Histological results showed new bone formation confirming osteoconductivity in all three types of glass-ceramics. Radiomorphometric results also confirmed the resorbing properties of the three glass-ceramic types. CONCLUSIONS: The high resorbing properties and osteoconductivity of porous glass-ceramics can be advantageous as no glass-ceramics remain in the body. However, their relatively fast rate of resorption in the body negatively affects their role as an osteoconductive scaffold as glass-ceramics are resorbed before bony fusion.

Evaluation of Osteosynthesis in CaO-SiO2-P2O5-B2O3 Glass-ceramics by Posterolateral Fusion of Rabbit Lumbar vertebrae / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: A comparative in vivo study between ceramics with different compositions. OBJECTIVES: To compare the biodegradation and osteoconduction properties of CaO-SiO2- P2O5- B2O3 glass-ceramics and Cerabone(R)-AW. Summary of Literature Review: Bioglass ceramics can be used as bone graft substitutes. However, no study has been undertaken to investigate the possibility of CaO-S i O2-P2O5-B2O3 glass-ceramics as a bone graft substitute. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Porous CSPB2 implants (44.07% CaO, 40.28% SiO2, 8.1% P2O5 and 5.0% B2O3), porous CSPB3 implants (43.76% CaO, 43.41% SiO2, 4.05% P2O5 and 7.5% B2O3) and porous Cerabone(R)-AW were prepared by the polymer sponge method. Single-level posterolateral spinal fusions were performed on sixty New Zealand white male rabbits. The animals were divided into four groups (9 of autograft, 17 per 3 kind of porous implant group) according to the implant material used: autograft, CSPB2, CSPB3 and Cerabone(R)-AW. Radiographs were performed every two weeks. All animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after surgery. Manual palpation and uniaxial tensile strength were determined. The proportion of the area occupied by the ceramics in the final compared to the initial radiographs was calculated. Decalcified and undecalcified histological sections were evaluated by light microscopy. RESULTS: Fifty one rabbits were evaluated. The union rates were 100 (9 out of 9), 80 (8 out of 8), 81.1 (9 out of 11) and 90.9% (10 out of 11) in the autograft, Cerabone(R)-AW, CSPB2 and CSPB3 groups, respectively. The proportion of the area occupied by Cerabone(R)-AW (90.8 % +/- 14.0) was significantly higher than for CSPB2 (73.1% +/- 11.5) and CSPB3 (73.5% +/- 10.0)(p=0.0011). The mean values of the tensile strengths of Cerabone(R)-AW (214. +/- 57.3N), CSPB2 (214. +/- 57.3 N) and CSPB3 (217 +/- 70.1 N) were not significantly different (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: CSPB2 and CSPB3 had similar tensile strengths and fusion rates of the fusion masses as those of Cerabone(R)-AW; however, they degraded more rapidly than Cerabone(R)-AW. These findings suggest that CSPB2 and CSPB3 grafts can be used as a more ideal new bone graft substitutes than Cerabone(R)-AW.