Study of the osteoconductive properties of bioactive glass fibers.

Bioactive glass fibers have been prepared and implanted in cortical defect and in muscle. The fibers can act as a substrate for bone apposition, when implanted in a cortical defect, and become incorporated in the new bone matrix. The same results were obtained when fibers were implanted in a muscle pouch together with bone marrow cells. An intense inflammatory reaction was observed when bioactive glass fibers were implanted in muscle; the reaction was milder when fibers were implanted in bone or in muscle together with bone marrow cells. This fact supports the hypothesis that osteogenic cells adhere in an early phase to the substrate and prevent recognition of the foreign material by inflammatory cells. This appears to be a fundamental condition for direct bone matrix apposition on the surface of fibers.