The tissue-implant interface during degradation of absorbable polyglycolide fracture fixation screws in the rabbit femur.

A transverse transcondylar osteotomy of the distal femur was fixed with an axially placed absorbable fracture fixation screw made of polyglycolide (PGA) in 25 rabbits. Changes at the tissue-implant interface accompanying degradation of the screw were examined histologically, histomorphometrically, and microradiographically seven, 20, 40, 80, and 250 days after implantation. At seven days postimplantation, a layer of fibroblasts was seen surrounding the implant, and new bone formation was discernible in the host tissues adjacent to this membranous structure. At 20 days postimplantation, the geometry of the screw was still intact and the tissue-implant boundary was distinct. The first signs of invasion of vascular granulation tissue into the implant were observed 40 days after implantation, at which time the osteotomies were united. The apparent walling-off response by formation of new trabecular bone outlining the PGA profile continued, with the greatest mean trabecular bone volume fraction at the interface, 23.9%, measured at 40 days. A significant decrease in the new bone volume occurred between 40 and 80 days postimplantation. The intensity of the foreign-body reaction seen was histologically moderate. The giant cell count was highest at 80 days postimplantation, when the migratory activity of phagocytic cells had transported intracellular particulate polymeric debris 400-800 microns away from the original tissue-implant boundary. At 250 days postimplantation, no birefringent polymeric material could be seen in the specimens. No contraindications for the clinical application of PGA implants emerged in this study.