Craniofacial osseous restoration with osteoinductive proteins in a collagenous delivery system

Implants fabricated from mixtures of extracted bovine bone proteins and highly purified human type I collagen have been tested for efficacy in the restoration of osseous defects. Experimental implants composed of osteoinductive proteins and collagen, and control implants composed of collagen alone were placed in 15 x 15 mm cranial defects in New Zealand white rabbits. Implants harvested at 10, 12 and 14 week intervals were subjected to histological evaluation as well as quantitative analysis utilizing a computer morphometric planimeter. Defects filled with control implants displayed highly variable repair with a mean of 31% bony healing. Experimental implants were consistently effective in inducing significant bony regeneration with a mean of 91% repair within the time range of the study. In light of these results, it is apparent that an osteoinductive-collagenous implant system represents an efficacious treatment modality in osseous reconstruction and augmentation.