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Biological effects of rinsing morsellised bone grafts before and after impaction.

Hannink G, Piek E, Hendriks JM, Van der Kraan PM, Schreurs BW, Buma P

Orthopaedic Research Lab., Department of Orthopaedics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, p.buma@orthop.umcn.nl.

Rinsing bone grafts before or both before and after impaction might have different effects on the incorporation of the graft. Rinsing again after impaction might negatively influence bone induction if growth factors released by impaction are washed away. We studied if transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-betas) and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are released from the mineralised matrix by impaction and if these released growth factors induce osteogenic differentiation in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Rinsed morsellised bone allografts were impacted in a cylinder and the escaping fluid was collected. The fluid was analysed for the presence of TGF-betas and BMPs, and the osteoinductive capacity was tested on hMSCs. Abundant TGF-beta was present in the fluid. No BMPs could be detected. Osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs was inhibited by the fluid. Results from our study leave us only able to speculate whether rinsing grafts again after impaction has a beneficial effect on the incorporation process or not.

Published 17 January 2008 in Int Orthop.
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