Growth potential of cranial suture bone autografts. I. An experimental macrosopic investigation in young rabbits.

On 25 rabbit sucklings a coronal suture-bone graft was transplanted into an experimental unilateral premaxillo-maxillary bone and stuture defect. 21 animals survived the experimental period and were sacrificed fullgrown (6 months). The graft was found to be well incorporated into the recipient site in all cases, its structure being remodelled to a striking similarity with the unoperated side and the suture was still visible. Photographic measurement of the snout deviation revealed that the longitudinal growth of the grafted suture approximately followed the general growth of the facial skeleton. This indicates an up to 3-fold increase of the growth in comparison to its original cranial growth site.