title: Repair of human skull defects using osteoinductive bone alloimplants.
abstract: To estimate the efficacy of cranioplasty in clinical practice, autolyzed, antigen-extracted, allogenic (AAA) bone was prepared from cortical bones of human organ donors. AAA bone implants consisted of completely demineralized bone powder, completely demineralized pliable bone chips, surface-demineralized bone chips with pliable crevices, surface-demineralized rigid bone chips, or combinations thereof. 21 patients received AAA bone cranioplasties and were followed-up for between 12 and 58 months (average: 29 months). No infection or rejection of any of the AAA bone implants occurred. X-ray assessments as well as bone scintigraphies revealed osseous integration and remodelling of the AAA bone implants with minimal resorption, with the exception of completely demineralized AAA bone chips which showed partial resorption (2 cases). However, the partial resorption of completely demineralized AAA bone chips ceased after the implants had been remodelled. In 4 cases, the osteosynthesis material was removed between 10 and 18 months after the cranioplasty. In another case, a re-entry was necessary because of recurrence of an intracranial tumor. All of these five AAA bone reconstructions showed bleeding surfaces and osseous consolidations at the time of re-entry. A bone biopsy taken from one of these cranioplasties showed osteoinduction on the surface of the AAA bone implants. This first clinical review of cranial reconstructions using osteoinductive AAA bone implants emphasizes the therapeutical application of AAA bone for cranioplasty. Large AAA bone chips from human skull bones facilitate the reproduction of the skull's convexity especially when combined with preoperative stereolithography-based planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kübler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zöller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mühling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reuther
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D001706:Biopsy; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003648:Decalcification Technique; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012086:Reoperation; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014021:Tissue Preservation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous