Lumbar spine interbody fusion with reinforced hydroxyapatite implants

Porous coralline and synthetic hydroxyapatite blocks reinforced with either self-reinforced polyactide or polyglycolide were implanted into 15 lumbar intervertebral disc spaces in five minipigs in order to determine whether they could provide an osteoconductive bridge for interbody fusion. Histological examination and radiological analysis with plain films, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were carried out. The osteoconductive properties were promising; creeping bone formation could be observed, although no complete fusion had been achieved at 24 weeks.