ABSORBABLE MEMBRANES FOR BONE REPAIR - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY ON RABBITS

To study the use of absorbable self-reinforced polyglycolide (SR-PGA) membranes for bone repair, distal femoral metaphyseal osteotomies were created in 10 rabbits and diaphyseal osteotomies in five. Osteotomies were fixed with intramedullary PLLA rods and PGA membranes were applied over the osteotomy. They were followed up for 6, 12 and 24 weeks. Radiography, histology, microradiography and oxytetracycline fluorescence labelling studies were used to evaluate the outcome. Healing occurred without complications in the metaphyseal series while failure was recorded in the diaphyseal series. In metaphyseal osteotomies, new bone formation was seen medially (on the side of PGA membrane), more proximal and medial to the membrane than at the inlet of osteotomy.