The osteogenic capacity of free periosteal and osteoperiosteal grafts. A comparative study in growing rabbits.

The behaviour of free periosteal and 200 micron thick osteoperiosteal grafts was studied histologically in 40 six-week-old rabbits. The grafts were taken from the tibia and fixed on either side of the same lumbar vertebra between the spinous and mamillary processes. The free stripped periosteum had better osteogenic activity than the 200 micron thick osteoperiosteum. The new bone was formed by the osteogenic cells of the cambium layer in both types of graft.