The forgotten player in the surgical history

The research concerning a preventive treatment of an osteoporitic femoral neck fracture started in 1990 because the surgical procedure of unstable femoral neck fractures is difficult. After effects are frequent and their number will increase in the next decade. The goal is to reinforce the femur with a biomaterial acting as a bone graft. Natural coral is bioresorbable and biocompatible. It acts as an autofocus bone graft for reconstruction of either cortex or cancellous bone and increases their mechanical resistance. This work shows evidence of new bone formation in an osteoporotic unbroken femoral neck femur. Consequently, the preventive surgical treatment of osteoporosis should be taken in consideration [1]. The purpose of this work is to show the results on the mineralization of the cancellous bone of an upper femoral metaphyses when a natural biomaterial is set in an unbroken osteoporotic femoral neck. Summary: Mrs. L is an 84 years old lady. Her osteoporotic unbroken right hip was grafted preventively with a biomaterial in order to prevent the high risk of break in case of fall. The biomaterial used is beads of natural coral. The reasons of this preventive treatment is discussed, as well as the choice of the biomaterial. The results are shown including a two years follow up. Brief History: Before going further, few words of history. Three centuries BC, an Aristote’s follower, Théophraste thinks that Natural coral is a petrified plant. For Ovide natural coral is a soft alga air-hardening. Al Biruni classes it among animals, because that respond to touch. At the beginning of the XVIIth century, Marsigli thinks that they are flowers which open out there in aquarium. The French Jean-André Peyssonnel, a young naturalist, says as Biruni, that in fact, corals are animals. At last, Buffon claims: These marine plants, were classified first in the rank of minerals, then in those of plants, and finally in that of animals. Natural coral is obviously an animal. After the Second World War, coral samples were analyzed by American scientists. Among 800 corail species, 3 where specially analyzed: Acropora, Porites and Libophylia. Mrs Nane Guillemin did in France her PHD on natural coral and with her team made a complete fundamental analysis (physical, chemical and biological properties) of the material, while the American scientists worked on the chemical bone’s properties. In France, Pr Ohayoun and his team worked on the surgical application in the dental field, Dr. Yves Cirotteau in the orthopedic surgery, specifically for osteoporotic disease and for the traumatologic fiel

Preventive treatment in an osteoporotic femoral upper metaphysis-A clinical case: Me Louise V…

In 1992, a patient, born July 10, 1910, aged 82, with major osteoporosis [1-3], was operated on her left hip. The surgeon performs a biomaterial transplant using natural coral [4]. Follow-up is two years. She died in 1994 of acute respiratory failure. Three bone graft osteodensitometry [5] shows a regular increase in mineralization; however, on the opposite side, bone mineralization decreases. The anatomical part is examined using x-rays, scanners, photographs, histology [6]. The article reports the findings of this study. It is noted a partial resorption of the biomaterial essentially at the periphery of the graft as well as the different local connections of the preexisting bone with the newly formed bone from the grafted area. The severity of fractures of the femoral neck is no longer to be demonstrated [7]. Multiple therapeutic trials have demonstrated their effectiveness [8,9]. Twenty two patients were transplanted. There was no failure. All died without fracturing their grafted hips.&nbsp