Efficacy of medical calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate in bone defect repair: a comparative analysis / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of synthetic medical calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate as the bone replacements for bone defects.MethodsA total of 85 bone trauma patients combined with bone defects treated between February 2000 and October 2011 were randomized to calcium phosphate group ( n =43 ) and calcium sulfate group ( n =42 ) according to bone substitutes.The patients had orthopedic conventional treatment and then received external fixation ( external fixators,plasters) or internal fixation (plates,needles).Forty-three patients in the calcium phosphate group were all treated with medical calcium phosphate and 42 patients in the calcium sulfate group were all treated with medical calcium sulfate.Postoperative complications,fracture healing time and bone substitute absorption time of the two groups were observed and compared.ResultsAfter artificial bone filling for bone defects,all fractures were healed,with average healing time of 12.5 weeks ( range,9-17 weeks) in the calcium phosphate group and 11.3 weeks (range,7-15 weeks) in the calcium sulfate group.No complications or abnormal reactions occurred in the calcium sulfate group,whereas four patients with incision exudation was founded in the calcium phosphate group,and was cured after dressing change.The average follow-up period was 54.5 weeks (range,14-70 weeks).Average absorption time of bone substitute for the calcium phosphate group was 7.3 weeks,longer than that for the calcium sulfate group (P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Medical calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate artificial bones can both be used as bone substitutes and are characterized by convenience,safety and good healing under the auxiliary of internal and external fixators.The calcium sulfate is sturdier and has relatively stronger supporting ability than the calcium phosphate.As the bone substitute,the calcium sulfate has more precise clinical effects,fewer complications and shorter healing time than the calcium phosphate.