Evaluation by bone densitometry and 3D computed microtomography of (composite) the bone blankets base of chitosan, hydroxyapatite and collagen to repair experimentally induced bone defects in sheep tibiae

Abstract

Fractures in Veterinary Medicine and, especially in large animals, are conditions that generate concern about the cost of treatment and the occurrence of future complications, because when it comes to horses, there is the possibility of complications due to excessive load that these animals receive about their limbs. Thus, it should immobilize the affected limb as soon as possible and properly, thus evaluate if there is the need to perform surgery to stabilize the fracture. In some types of fractures can be large bone defects, especially in comminuted fractures with extensive damage to adjacent tissues, which complicates and prolongs the healing time and where there is greater likelihood of future bone defects. For these reasons has been studied for some years, the use of bone substitutes in the form of blankets or bone cements to repair these defects. The study of biomaterials as bone substitutes has had great development in recent years, and those based on chitosan, hydroxyapatite and collagen present great advantage because chitosan stimulates bone regeneration, hydroxyapatite confers hardness to the material demands, and collagen provides flexibility to the material. This project aims to assess bone regeneration after implantation of the base composite chitosan, hydroxyapatite and collagen in bone defects of the tibia of sheep experimentally induced. Imaging methods for radiographic bone densitometry and computed microtomography 3D will be used to assess the degree and the time of bone regeneration and the ability to integrate with the bone biomaterial. Bone defects will be made in the tibia of sheep in both states, where the biomaterial is implanted in one of them, chosen at random, with the contralateral limb control. The animals will undergo radiographic examinations fortnightly until 90 days postoperatively. After 90 days, the animals will be euthanized and harvested fragments of tibia for assessment by 3D computed microtomography. The data will be statistically analyzed to evaluate the results. (AU)