Is there a role of coral bone substitutes in bone repair?
Xenogeneic bone graft materials are an alternative to autologous bone grafting. Among such implants, coralline-derived bone grafts substitutes have a long track record as safe, biocompatible and osteoconductive graft materials. In this review, we present the available literature surrounding their use with special focus on the commercially available graft materials. Corals thanks to their chemical and structural characteristics similar to those of the human cancellous bone have shown great potential but clinical data presented to date is ambiguous with both positive and negative outcomes reported. Correct formulation and design of the graft to ensure adequate osteo-activity and resorption appear intrinsic to a successful outcome.
Academic Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Electronic address: pountos@doctors.org.uk.
Ippokratis
I
Pountos
Academic Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Electronic address: pgiannoudi@aol.com.
Peter V
PV
Giannoudis
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003063:Cnidaria; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000473:pathology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes
Bone healing; Corals; Growth factors; Mesenchymal stem cells; Scaffold