Osteoconductive Effects of Vinyl Styrene Microbeads in Rat Calvarial Defects
Purpose
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of the nonresorbable vinyl styrene microbeads (VSM) alloplast as a delivery vehicle for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) in rat calvarial critical size defects.
Materials and Methods
Seventy-three Long-Evans male rats were divided into 4 groups; a negative control, vinyl styrene microbeads (VSM), PDGF-BB, and VSM plus PDGF-BB. Critical size calvarial defects were carried out and isolated with membranes sandwiching the defects with their fillers. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 4, and 16 weeks classifying each group into 3 subgroups. Calvarial specimens were radiographed for evaluation of regenerated bone volume and densitometry histogram analysis. Specimens were divided mid-sagittally and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and trichrome stain for qualitative and histomorphometric analysis using an image analysis software.
Results
The VSM groups showed statistically higher defect fills than the VSM-free groups at all sacrifice times except for the VSM/PDGF group that showed this difference after 2 weeks in relation to the PDGF group and the negative control after 4 and 16 weeks. For the radiographic analysis, the VSM/PDGF group showed the lowest bone volume compared with the other groups except when it was compared with the 4 weeks VSM group. In contrast, the PDGF showed the highest bone volumes at all sacrifice times that were only significant when compared with the 4 weeks VSM group and the 4 and 16 weeks VSM/PDGF group.
Conclusions
VSM enhances bone defect fill whereas the VSM/PDGF-BB is not able to improve bone regeneration capacity when compared with VSM alone.
⁎Lecturer of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
†Professor, Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
‡Professor, Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
§Professor and Director, Oral Biology/Anatomy, School of Dentistry Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Marzouk: Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Oral Diagnosis and Dental Radiology, PO Box 913, Port Said, Egypt
Research was supported by NRT Co, Bendera, TX. This work was partially supported by the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau, Washington, DC.