The in vivo behaviour of a sol–gel glass and a glass-ceramic during critical diaphyseal bone defects healing

The in vivo evaluation, in New Zealand rabbits, of a sol–gel glass 70% CaO–30% SiO2 (in mol%) and a glass-ceramic obtained from thermal treatment of the glass, both bioactive in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF), is presented. Femoral bone diaphyseal critical defects were filled with: (i) sol–gel glass cylinders, (ii) glass-ceramic cylinders, or (iii) no material (control group). Osteosynthesis was done by means of anterior screwed plates with an associate intramedullar Kirschner wire. Each group included 10 mature rabbits, 9 months old. Follow-up was 6 months. After sacrifice, macroscopic study showed healing of bone defects, with bone coating over the cylinders, but without evidence of satisfactory repair in control group. Radiographic study showed good implant stability and periosteal growth and bone remodelling around and over the filled bone defect. The morphometric study showed minimum evidences of degradation or resorption in glass-ceramic cylinders, maintaining its original shape, but sol–gel glass cylinders showed abundant fragmentation and surface resorption. An intimate union of the new-formed bone to both materials was observed. Mechanical study showed the higher results in the glass-ceramic group, whereas sol–gel glass and control group showed no differences. The minimum degradation of glass-ceramic cylinders suggests their application in critical bone defects locations of transmission forces or load bearing. The performance of sol–gel glass cylinders suggests their usefulness in locations where a quick resorption should be preferable, considering the possibility of serving as drug or cells vehicle for both of them.