Behaviour of nonresorbable bioactive glass-ceramic implanted into long bone defects: comparison with cancellous allografts.

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this retrospective study was to compare the long-term results after implantation of the nonresorbable glass-ceramic material and transplantation of the cancellous allografts into the defects of long bones.

METHOD

The bone cysts were excochleated and filled using granules of glass-ceramic material or cancellous allografts. Clinical, radiographic and scintigraphic examinations of 30 patients were carried out 2-14 years after their surgery.

RESULTS

Though signs of complete incorporation allowing full weight-bearing capacity were observed on plain radiographs, we detected pain in six out of nine patients after diaphyseal implantation of nonresorbable glass-ceramic. We found an increase in (99) (m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate uptake on the delayed images in the area of glass-ceramic implantation, mainly in its diaphyseal location. In patients after bone transplantation, the cancellous allografts were completely integrated and the scintigraphic findings were physiological.

CONCLUSION

The implantation of the nonresorbable glass-ceramic material into the diaphyseal defects of long bones is not suitable based on our study.