Effect of different storage media on the regenerative potential of autogenous bone grafts: a histomorphometrical analysis in rabbits.

The success of autogenous bone graft is related to the graft cell viability. In bone-grafting procedures, harvested grafts are often maintained in extraoral media while the recipient site is prepared. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo the effect of storage media over autogenous bone grafts during the transsurgical time. Two grafts were removed bilaterally from the calvaria of 18 rabbits. One graft was immediately fixed in the mandibular angle (control group), and the other was maintained in air exposure (dry group), 0.9% NaCl solution (saline group), or platelet-poor plasma (PPP group) during 30 minutes and stabilized in the symmetrical location of control grafts. After 28 days, the animals were euthanized and the bone fragments were removed, demineralized, and embedded in paraffin. Histological evaluation was performed under light microscope. Empty lacunae and bone graft area quantification were carried out for the sections. The histomorphometrical analysis revealed reduction of the graft area and increase of empty lacunae in the dry group when compared with control. No significant differences were found in the number of empty lacunae or bone graft area between the saline group and its control and also between the PPP group and its control. The dry group showed more empty lacunae and less graft area than the saline and PPP groups. In accordance with the results, PPP and physiologic solution demonstrated osteocyte preservation and bone graft area maintenance, being satisfactory storage media for autogenous bone grafts during the transsurgical period.