Clinical Application of Macroporous Ceramic to Promote Bone Healing in Veterinary Clinical Cases

Abstract

Autogenous cancellous bone is the most effective material in promoting rapid healing and still considered the "gold standard" for evaluation of bone graft substitutes. The harvesting process to collect autologous bone is associated with complications and its availability is limited. Allogenic bone is another alternative with osteoconductive properties, and it act as a structural graft when applied in defects of long bones, but some disadvantages are also associated. The development of the bone grafts substitutes has gained tremendous popularity over the last two decades. Osteoconductive materials act as scaffolds were cells from the surrounding tissues with osteogenic capacities can lay new bone, and may be produced using different types of agents, such as bone products, ceramics, bioactive glasses, collagen, polymers, and composites. Bonelike ® is produced by the incorporation of P 2 O 5 -CaO glass-based system within a hydroxyapatite matrix. Bonelike ® Poro consists of polygonal granules with 2000-2800 μm and 4000-5600 μm of diameter with pore sizes range from 100 to 400 μm. This chapter will focus on the different techniques were this ceramic synthetic bone substitute was used to promote bone regeneration with special attention in both experimental and clinical cases of veterinary orthopaedics in dogs and cats, horses and ruminants, including results obtained with Bonelike ® .