Anterior lumbar intervertebral fusion with artificial bone in place of autologous bone

The feasibility of anterior lumbar intervertebral fusion with artificial bone in place of autogenous bone was investigated. Porous hydroxyapatite (HA)/ZrO2 ceramics loading bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) were implanted after removal of lumbar vertebral disc in rabbits. The adjacent intervertebral discs were also removed by the same way and autogenous illic bone was implanted. SEM observation and biomechanical test were carried out. Compound bone had a bit lower osteoinductive activity than autogenous bone by SEM (Osteoinductive activity of artificial bone in 12 weeks was the same as that of autogenous bone in 9 weeks). Biomechanical test revealed that compound bone had lower anti-pull strength than autogenous bone (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in anti-pull strength between compound bone at 12th week and autogenous bone at 9th week (P > 0.05). It was concluded that compound bone could be applied for anterior spinal fusion, especially for those patients who can't use autogenous bone.