A study finds that a bioceramic scaffold can induce bone regrowth for cranial defect repair. Repairing cranial defects is a significant challenge because the ideal solution, bone grafts, carries risks for both the donor site and graft. Other synthetic solutions, such as plastic implants, poorly integrate bone and soft tissue. Peter Thomsen and colleagues explored an alternative approach using a 3D-printed bioceramic scaffold implant on a titanium frame to induce bone regrowth. Experiments in sheep showed that architectural and growth-inducing cues in the bioceramic structure promoted bone regeneration, even at locations distant from the host bone. In contrast, implants of titanium alone showed only bone ingrowth from the boundaries of the host bone. The bioceramic itself converted into the bone mineral carbonated apatite, with a molecular composition indistinguishable from native bone. The authors also evaluated a bioceramic implant in a human 21 months after implantation and found that the implant had been converted into well-vascularized bone tissue, with a structure and composition similar to native bone. According to the authors, the results illustrate how synthetic materials can induce bone regeneration and repair large bone defects without the need for bone grafts.
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Article #20-07635: "In situ bone regeneration of large cranial defects using synthetic ceramic implants with a tailored composition and design," by Omar Omar, Thomas Engstrand, et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Thomsen, University of Gothenburg, SWEDEN; e-mail: <peter.thomsen@biomaterials.gu.se>
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Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences