ABSTRACT
Osseointegration of bone marrow-PLGA-coated, preformed polymethylmethacrylate cranioplasties offers the possibility of reducing: operative time, periimplant seroma and infection, metallic fixation, and periprosthetic resorption following surgical skull remodeling. These alloplastic materials are FDA-approved but previously have not been used together to promote cranioplasty incorporation. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of PLGA foam coating improves host osseointegration of preformed, textured, polymethylmethacrylate prosthetic cranioplasties. A critical-sized cranial defect was created in two groups of 10 and one group of three rabbits. The defect was filled with either a textured, preformed polymethylmethacrylate disc or a textured, preformed polymethylmethacrylate disc coated with poly (DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid). Both implants were immersed in autologous bone marrow for 20 minutes before implantation. Half of each group of 10 were killed at 3 weeks, and the remainder at 6 weeks. A third group of three rabbits with excised periosteum was evaluated at 6 weeks. Histologic analysis of the discs determined relative amounts of cancellous bone formation adjacent to the prostheses. Woven trabecular bone was present at each host bone to implant perimeter interface at 3 weeks, with fine fibrous capsular formation around the implants. Thicker, lamellar trabeculae were present at 6 weeks with an increased fibrous layer surrounding both types of implants. Bone formed on the superficial and deep implant surfaces in a noncontiguous fashion. Two of five measures showed that total bone formation was significantly greater in the PLGA-coated implants. Polymethylmethacrylate discs coated with bone marrow-impregnated PLGA foam demonstrate increased bone formation at 3 and 6 weeks as compared with non-coated preformed polymethylmethacrylate discs. Only implants with preserved periosteum showed bone formation away from the host-implant interface (centrally) on the superficial surface at 6 weeks.