Abstract

Background: Orthopedic surgeons are trying to find best substitutes for bone defects in human. Bone is still the golden standard substitute where graft is needed. Effects of rabbit and bovine rib cartilages will evaluated in bone healing of rabbit bone defect model. The aim of the present study is testing the healing potential of rib cartilage as xenograft or allograft when used in bony defect. Method: 20 adult rabbits of 1.5-2 years old were used. 10mm of bone was removed from midradial bone in each rabbit. The produced defects were treated in 4 different ways by dividing the rabbits into 4 different groups of 5 animals each in one group, similar size bovine rib cartilage and in another group allograft rabbit rib cartilage was inserted in the defect. In the two remaining control groups, one received the same resected radial bone (autograft) and in the other group the defect was left empty. The healing was evaluated by radiographs at 14th, 18th and 56th days post surgery, and by histologic specimens at 8 weeks post surgery. Result and conclusion: Histologic and radiographic study indicated that allogenic and xenogenic cartilage acted almost like autograft groups and were better than empty group.

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