The Vitrea 2 imaging software (Vital Images Inc, Minnetonka, MN) was used for the volume analysis of the proximal tibial metaphysis.
Materials and Methods
Eighteen computed tomography scans of the proximal tibia were processed through the software, and 3-dimensional imaging of the proximal tibia was reconstructed.
Results
The volume and area of the proximal tibia that were generated resulted in a mean area of 127 cm2 and a mean volume of 77.2 cm2.
Conclusion
This study supports the use of the proximal tibial metaphysis as a source of low to moderate volume of autologous bone. When compared with the accepted average volume of 25 cm2, the computed results showed that there could be up to 3 times the amount of bone available in the proximal tibial metaphysis. The reported volume of bone harvested from previous studies was based on need and not the total amount available; subsequently, the results showed the possibility of a larger resource of bone, which provides the surgeon with the volumetrical limits of the proximal tibia metaphysis.
†Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Curitiba Evangelic Hospital, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
‡Oral Surgeon, Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Almeida: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitaba, rue Silveira Peixoto 1062 #181, Curitaba, Paraná 80240120, Brazil
ABSTRACT