Growth potential of cranial suture bone autograft. II. An experimental microscopic investigation in young rabbits.

On rabbit sucklings a coronal suture-bone graft, covered by periosteum and dura, was transplanted into an experimental unilateral premaxillo-maxillary bone and suture defect. In 21 animals microscopical analysis was carried out using triple fluorochrome vital labelling over a period from the 3rd to the 36th postoperative day. In another 7 animals conventional histological methods were used. The grafts were readily incorporated and during the second postoperative week longitudinal sutural growth was fully restored as compared to the unoperated control side and growth far exceeded that of the original coronal suture.