The influence of perforating the autogenous block bone and the recipient bed in dogs : a radiographic analysis

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated radiographically the integration and volume maintenance of grafted autogenous block bone under various cortical bone perforation conditions in dogs.Material and methods: Five mongrel dogs were used. Each dog received four differently prepared onlay block bone grafts: a solid block graft was fixed on either (1) a cortically perforated recipient bed (SGPR) or (2) a nonperforated recipient bed (SGNPR), a perforated block graft was fixed on either (3) a nonperforated recipient bed (PGNPR) or (4) a cortically perforated recipient bed (PGPR). The animals were sacrificed at 1 day, 4 days, 10 days, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after surgery. Specimens were prepared and radiographic analysis was conducted by using micro-computed tomography. The residual bone volume (RBV; mm3), cross-sectional bone area (BA; mm2), and residual height (RH; %) of the grafted block bone were measured radiographically.Results: The interface between the recipient bed and the graft showed no signs of bone integration at 1, 4, and 10 days of healing. However, at 4 weeks of healing, bone integration was observed in all groups. The RBV, BA, and RH of the grafts gradually decreased by 4 weeks of healing. At 8 weeks, the PGPR condition exhibited a higher RBV, BA, and RH than the other conditions, while the SGNPR condition exhibited the lowest RBV, BA, and RH.Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that intentional cortical perforation on the recipient bed and block bone graft may influence volume maintenance of the graft.