Scintigraphic Evaluation of the Osteoblastic Activity of Rabbit Tibial Defects After Hyaff11 Membrane Application

Background An unfavorable condition for bone healing is the presence of bone defects. Under such conditions, a material can play a role to cover fractured or defective bone. Technological advances now allow for the use of such material. Hyalonect® (Fidia Advanced Biopolymers SLR, Italy), a novel membrane comprising knitted fibers of esterified hyaluronan (HYAFF11) can be used to cover fractured or grafted bone and can also serve as a scaffold to keep osteoprogenitor cells in place. The aim of this study was to compare osteoblastic activity by the use of scintigraphic methods in defective rabbit tibias during early-phase bone healing with or without a hyaluronan-based mesh. Methods Two groups (A and B) of New Zealand albino rabbits were used; each group included 10 animals. Operations on all rabbits were performed under general anesthesia. We also resected 10-mm bone segments from each animal’s tibial diaphysis. After resection, tibias with defects were fixed using Kirschner wires. In group A, no hyaluronan-based mesh was used. In group B, tibial segmental defects were enclosed with a hyaluronan-based mesh. The rabbits were followed up for 4 weeks postoperatively, after which bone scintigraphic studies were performed on each animal to detect and compare osteoblastic activity. Results The mean count in the fracture side of the hyaluronan-based mesh group was significantly higher compared to that of the group A (p = 0.019). However, there was no significant difference between group B and control rabbits with respect to the mean count on the intact bone side (p = 0.437). The bone defect (fracture)/intact bone mean count ratio was significantly higher in group B compared to group A (p = 0.008). Conclusions A hyaluronan-based mesh plays a role in promoting osteoblastic activity. Hyalonect® is suitable for restoring tissue continuity whenever the periosteal membrane is structurally impaired or inadequate. Our results demonstrated that, during early-phase bone healing, osteoblastic activity was increased in bone defect sites when a hyaluronan-based mesh was also used. The most important aspect of this study concerns its scintigraphy-based design. This study is the first to use a scintigraphic method to demonstrate the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid-based material for bone healing.PubMedWoSScopu

Materials Used Intraoperatively During Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Procedures

Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) is a broad scope medical and dental specialty that focuses on the diagnoses and treatment of a wide range of disorders including those that affect the head and neck, as well as the facial complex and skeleton. A number of tools and materials can be used intraoperatively with the intention of increasing the success rate of a surgical procedure and shortening the healing time for patients. In this chapter, we will explore several elements of surgical intervention relating to the use of varying types of bone grafts, along with implementing growth factors and enhancers including bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). In addition, we will examine the use of biodegradable materials including bone plates, membranes, and scaffolds. Further, we will discuss the use of implantable devices in the surgical treatment of patients for replacement of teeth and fixation of hard tissue structures using customizable titanium plates and screws within the realm of OMFS. Finally, we consider what the future holds with regard to technologically assisted surgery