Osteogenic capacities of periost grafts, periost flaps and prefabricated periosteal flaps: experimental study

Reconstruction of the bone defects due to various causes is still one of the challenging problems in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Periosteum is accepted to be the essential source for the repair of the bone tissue, which constitutes the basis of the support and the mobility functions of the surrounding tissues. Periosteal grafts and flaps have been used for various purposes by numerous techniques. The osteogenic activity of the periosteal tissues has a great importance regarding the purposes of reconstruction. In this experimental study, 20 New Zealand rabbits were used for the evaluation and the comparison of the osteogenic activities of periosteal grafts, periosteal flaps and prefabricated periosteal flaps. Morphological, histopathological and scinthigraphical observations were carried out for the assessment and the comparison of the groups after a follow-up of 12 weeks. Two of the animals were left out as a result of infection. The results showed that periosteal flaps had a much faster and more stable reconstructive capacity of osteogenesis, whereas prefabricated periosteal flaps had an osteogenic capacity of a lower degree and periosteal grafts apparently less than the former groups. We believe that this study confirms the reconstructive capacity of prefabricated periosteal flaps as an alternative to periosteal flaps for the repair of osseous tissues as well as indicating the osteogenic capacity of the periosteal grafts, though in a lesser degree.