Bone growth into glassy carbon implants. A rabbit experiment.

This study was designed to evaluate the growth of bone into porous glassy carbon cylinders. Porous carbon cylinders were implanted in 30 rabbits intra-articularly in the metaphysis of the femur opposite from the patella. The rabbits were sacrificed up to 24 weeks after the operation. The bone samples were examined by histologic, fluorochrome and microradiographic methods. The amount of bone ingrowth was measured histomorphometrically. Fluorochrome uptake was seen in the implant pores, which indicated new bone growth originating from surrounding bone. After 3 weeks, microradiographs revealed new bone formation in the pores and with time the bone spicules became more dense. The amount of bone tissue in the pores grew and reached a maximum at 12 weeks, when 45 per cent of the total pore volume was incorporated with bone tissue. No adverse tissue responses were observed.