Electrical stimulation of bone growth into porous A12O3

Porous, cylindrical, high alumina, ceramic structures were fabricated for implantation in the superior third of canine femoral medullary canals. Implant durations of one, two, four, and eight weeks using three animals per time period were studied. A constant current (10 muA) power supply was used to attempt to stimulate bone growth into the porous ceramic structures. Osseous tissue in-growth was evaluated using a mechanical push-out test, microadiography, and histological thin sectioning. The interfacial shear strength and tissue micro-structure was studied as a function of implant residence site and implant residence site and implant residence time. The results indicate that initially the proximal implants have a higher interfacial shear strength, however, after eight weeks of implantation the distal implants have a shear strength about twice that of the proximal implants. This trend is observed for both the electrically stimulated and nonstimulated specimens. The 10 muA current level used in this investigation was found to have a small but significant effect on shear strength increasing it at implantation times of less than eight weeks.