title: EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL PROCESSING AND OXIDE ETHYLENE STERILIZATION ON CORTICAL AND CANCELLOUS RAT BONE: A LIGHT AND ELECTRON SCANNING MICROSCOPY STUDY.
abstract: To evaluate, under microscopic examination, the structural changes displayed by the trabecular and cortical bones after being processed chemically and sterilized by ethylene oxide.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of cancellous and cortical bones obtained from young female albinus rats (Wistar) were assigned to four groups according to the type of treatment: Group I- drying; Group II- drying and ethylene oxide sterilization; III- chemical treatment; IV- chemical treatment and ethylene oxide sterilization. Half of this material was analyzed under ordinary light microscope and the other half using scanning electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all the samples, regardless the group, there was good preservation of the general morphology. For samples submitted to the chemical processing there was better preservation of the cellular content, whereas there was amalgamation of the fibres when ethylene oxide was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with ethylene oxide caused amalgamation of the fibers, possibly because of heating and the chemical treatment contributed to a better cellular preservation of the osseous structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, USP.
authors.forename: Marcello Teixeira
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Castiglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, USP.
authors.forename: Juliano Voltarelli F
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, USP.
authors.forename: José Armendir
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frezarim Thomazini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, USP.
authors.forename: José Batista
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Volpon
keywords: Bone transplantation; Ethylene oxide; Microscopy, electron; Rats; Sterilization