Mandibular bone repair by implantation of rhBMP-2 in a slow release carrier of polylactic acid--an experimental study in rats.

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that human recombinant bone morphogenic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) implanted in a slow release carrier of polylactic acid (PLA) can repair a non-healing defect in the rat mandible and maintain the thickness of an augmented volume. p-DL-lactic acid discs were produced and loaded with 48 and 96 microg rhBMP-2 and inserted into non-healing defects of the mandible of 45 Wistar rats. Fifteen rats received implants with 96 microg rhBMP-2 (Group 2), 48 microg rhBMP-2 (Group 1) and blank implants without BMP (Group 0) each on one side of the mandible. Unfilled defects of the same size on the contralateral sides of the mandibles served as empty controls. After 6, 13 and 26 weeks, implants of each group were retrieved from five animals each and submitted to flat panel detector computed tomography. Bone formation and thickness of augmentation was assessed by computer-assisted histomorphometry. In Group 2 significantly more bone was produced than in Group 1. Implants of Group 1 induced significantly more bone than the blank controls only after 6 weeks, whereas the difference was not significant after 13 and 26 weeks. Differences between Group 2 and Group 1 were clearly significant after 26 weeks. The thickness of bone tissue was maintained in Group 2 whereas it decreased in Group 1 and was negligible in Group 0. It is concluded that the PLA implants with 96 microg rhBMP-2 were able to bridge a non-healing defect in the rat mandible and maintained the thickness of an augmented volume. However, continuous supply of osteogenic signals appears to be required to compensate for adverse effects during polymer degradation.