Re: Demineralized freeze-dried and autologous bone as aids to healing (J Periodontol 1994; 64; 1128-1133)

The osteoinductive potential of demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft in human non-orthotopic sites: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

The use of demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft (DFDBA) in periodontal therapy is widely accepted. In addition to histologic studies demonstrating its role in regenerating the attachment apparatus, its recognized ability to exhibit osteoinduction in small laboratory mammals has prompted many clinicians to regard it as osteoinductive when utilized in periodontal therapy. Despite such a theoretical deduction, evaluating and establishing the osteoinductive potential of DFDBA in humans has been problematic. The purpose of this study was to investigate, through the use of a novel implantation/recovery model, the potential of DFDBA to induce new bone formation at sites not normally considered capable of de novo osteogenic activity.

METHODS

Seven patients scheduled to undergo periodontal therapy utilizing non-absorbable membranes agreed to have sterile polypropylene mesh capsules placed adjacent to the primary surgical site for the purpose of this investigation. One capsule was left empty while the second capsule contained DFDBA. At the appropriate time interval for removal of the therapeutic membrane, the capsules were removed and submitted for histologic analysis. Five of the subjects had procedures directed at regenerating bone within molar furcations (guided tissue regeneration) and had the membranes and associated capsules removed between 6 and 8 weeks. The 2 remaining patients had procedures directed toward ridge augmentation (guided bone regeneration) and had the membranes removed either at 8 or 9 months, respectively. In addition, one of the 2 long-term membrane patients had liberal cortical penetration performed directly beneath the implanted capsule.

RESULTS

Histologic analysis of all recovered capsules by 2 independent oral and maxillofacial pathologists could not confirm the presence of either osteoblastic or osteoclastic activity associated with the DFDBA particles, although the 2 longer-term specimens clearly exhibited trace amounts of vital bone non-contiguous with the implanted material.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this pilot study do not support the osteoinductive potential of DFDBA when utilized in quantities normally associated with periodontal bone grafting, although they do support the use of this implantation/recovery model to study other preparations and mechanisms of bone formation.

Demineralized bone implants for nonunion fractures, bone cysts, and fibrous lesions

Demineralized bone implants were used to treat eight patients with fracture nonunion, five patients with bone cysts, and eight patients with fibrous lesions. Five of the eight patients with nonunions had had previous unsuccessful attempts at reconstruction. After fixation and implantation with either human or bovine demineralized bone, all eight fractures healed. For those patients with nonunion fractures, mean followup time was 8 years, 5 months, and longest followup was 15 years, 3 months. The cystic lesions in five patients included three typical aneurysmal bone cysts and two recurrent unicameral bone cysts. The aneurysmal bone cysts had excellent healing and bone remodeling. The two unicameral bone cysts were repacked more densely after 1 year and healed. For these patients with bone cysts, the mean followup time was 12 years, 5 months, and longest followup was 15 years, 1 month. The various fibrous lesions in seven of the eight patients were healed within 6 months, with only one requiring repacking. For these patients with fibrous bone lesions, the mean followup time was 9 years, 8 months, and longest followup was 14 years. A biopsy of the lesions in five patients was performed and in two cases showed osteoblasts and new bone around small particles of the implants. These results with long term followup show that allogeneic or xenogeneic demineralized bone implants offer a reasonable alternative for the treatment of typical nonunion fractures, bone cysts, and fibrous lesions of bone.