Creation of new bone by an osteopromotive membrane technique: an experimental study in rats

Domes, 5 and 8 mm in diameter, were made of expanded polytetrafluorethylene membrane with different degrees of stiffness and internodal distance. The domes were placed on denuded calvarial bones of rats and covered by the skin and periosteal flaps. Histologic evaluation 9 to 16 weeks after surgery showed the formation of various amounts of new bone on the calvarial bone surface inside the domes. The amount of bone neogenesis was dependent on membrane qualities, such as stiffness and porosity, and the length of the healing period. In the most successful experiments, about 80% of the dome volume was filled with newly formed bone, whereas in other experiments considerable amounts of connective tissue were present. Using bioabsorbable membrane domes proved less successful in that they did not maintain their shape and thus did not provide space for bone formation. This study showed that it is possible to obtain bone neogenesis by an osteopromotive membrane technique. This possibility may eventually be of great significance for reconstructive surgery.