Statin collagen grafts used to repair defects in the parietal bone of rabbits

We compared the amount of new bone produced by statin collagen grafts with that produced by collagen grafts. Fifteen bone defects were created in the parietal bone of nine New Zealand White rabbits. In the experimental group, five defects were grafted with simvastatin dissolved in water for injection mixed with absorbable collagen sponge. In the control groups, five defects were grafted with water for injection mixed with absorbable collagen sponge alone (active control) and five were left empty (passive control). Animals were killed on day 14 and the defects were prepared for histological assessment. Serial sections were cut across the whole defect. Quantitative analysis of new bone formation was made on 100 sections using image analysis. A total of 308% more new bone was present in defects grafted with statin collagen grafts than those grafted with collagen grafts alone (P < 0.0001). No bone was formed in the passive control group. In conclusion, statin collagen grafts were osteoinductive and can be used as a material for bone grafts. (C) 2003 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.