Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
Modeling Primary Bone Tumors and Bone Metastasis with Solid Tumor Graft Implantation into Bone
Published on: September 9, 2020
Human polyethylene granuloma tissues inhibit bone healing in a novel xenograft animal model
Christina I Esposito1, Rema A Oliver, Patricia A Campbell
1Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Clinical Sciences Building, Level 1, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia; Specialist Orthopaedic Group, Mater Clinic, Suite 1.08, 3-9 Gillies Street, Wollstonecraft, NSW, 2065, Australia.
Abstract:
During revision of a conventional polyethylene joint replacement, surgeons usually remove the source of osteolysis (polyethylene) but cannot always remove all of the polyethylene granuloma tissues. We developed a human/rat xenograft model to investigate the effects of polyethylene granuloma tissues on bone healing. Human osteoarthritic and periprosthetic tissues collected during primary and revision hip arthroplasty surgeries were transplanted into the distal femora of athymic nude rats. After 3 weeks in vivo, there was a significant difference in the bone volume fraction (Vf ) between empty, primary, and revision defects (p = 0.02), with a lower Vf in defects with revision granuloma tissues compared to defects with primary osteoarthritic tissues. Polyethylene granuloma tissues in trabecular bone defects inhibited bone healing. Therefore, debridement around a metal-on-polyethylene hip replacement may shorten the time it takes to achieve secondary stability around a revision hip replacement.
