Perforations of cortical bone allografts improve their incorporation

The incorporation of perforated cortical bone allografts was compared with non-perforated allografts. A 5-cm circumferential defect in the middiaphysis at the tibia was created in adult sheep. A frozen tibial allograft was implanted and fixed with a locked nail for 6 months. There was no postoperative immobilization. Group I consisted of eight sheep with non-perforated allografts, whereas Group II was comprised of 10 sheep with perforated allografts. Union was evaluated radiographically, whereas the central part of the allograft had a densitometric evaluation. Creeping substitution was assessed on microradiographs from cross-sections of the central 3 cm of graft by measurement of porosity and percentage of new and old bone area within the confines of the graft. The width of periosteal and endosteal callus also was determined. There was no statistical difference between both groups for the union score and bone density. However, the cortical bone graft porosity and the amount of new bone within the cortical bone differed significantly between the perforated allografts and the non-perforated ones. Periosteal callus was similar in both groups, whereas endosteal callus was significantly more wide and extended in the perforated allografts. Perforation of a cortical bone substantially improved the amount of newly formed bone by the host when compared with a non-perforated bone. The creation of channels seemed to increase the interface between living soft tissues of the host and the allografted bone with a resulting enhanced incorporation.