A repeated sampling bone chamber methodology for the evaluation of tissue differentiation and bone adaptation around titanium implants under controlled mechanical conditions.

A repeated sampling bone chamber methodology was developed for the study of the influence of the mechanical environment on skeletal tissue differentiation and bone adaptation around titanium implants. Via perforations, bone grows into the implanted outer bone chamber, containing an inner bone chamber with a central test implant. An actuator--easily mounted on the outer bone chamber--allows a controlled mechanical stimulation of the test implant. After each experiment, the inner bone chamber--with its content--can be harvested and analysed. A new inner bone chamber with a central implant can be inserted consecutively in the outer bone chamber and a new experiment can start. Pilot studies led to a reliable surgical protocol and showed the applicability of the methodology, offering the possibility to study skeletal tissue differentiation and adaptation around implants under well-controlled mechanical conditions, and this protected from external loading. Repeated sampling of the bone chamber allows conducting several experiments within the same animal at the same site, thereby excluding subject- and site-dependent variability and reducing the amount of experimental animals.