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Biomedical subjects

C Delloye

Publications and source records attributed to C Delloye.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Irreversible perforations in vertebral trabeculae?

UNLABELLED: In human cancellous bone, osteoclastic perforations resulting from normal remodeling were generally considered irreversible. In human vertebral samples, examined by backscatter electron microscopy, there was clear evidence of bridging of perforation defects by new bone formation. Hence trabecular perforations may not be irreversible. INTRODUCTION: Preservation of the trabecular bone microarchitecture is essential to maintain its load-bearing capacity and prevent fractures. However, during bone remodeling, the osteoclasts may perforate the platelike trabeculae and disconnect the structure. Large perforations (>100 microm) are generally considered irreversible because there is no surface on which new bone can be laid down. In this work, we investigated the outcome of these perforations on human vertebral cancellous bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using backscatter electron microscopy, we analyzed 264 vertebral bone samples from the thoracic and lumbar spine of nine subjects (44-88 years old). Nine fields (2 x 1.5 mm) were observed on each block. Several bone structural units (BSUs) were visible on a single trabecula, illustrating a dynamic, historical aspect of bone remodeling. A bridge was defined as a single and recent BSU connecting two segments of trabeculae previously separated by osteoclastic resorption. They were counted and measured (length and breadth, microm). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We observed 396 bridges over 2376 images. By comparison, we found only 15 microcalluses on the same material. The median length of the bridge was 165 microm (range, 29-869 microm); 86% being longer than 100 microm and 35% longer than 200 microm. Their breadth was 56 microm (range, 6-255 microm), but the thinnest were still in construction. Bridges were found in all nine subjects included in the study, suggesting that it is a common feature of normal vertebral bone remodeling. These observations support the hypothesis that perforation could be repaired by new bone formation, and hence, might not be systematically irreversible.

Adult↗

Bone substitutes in 2003: an overview.

The authors review the various bone substitutes which are currently available on the market place in Belgium. After describing the requirements for clinical use of such materials, they compare the biological and mechanical values of bone autografts, bone allografts, demineralised bone, xenografts, coral and synthetic materials such as calcium sulfate, calcium phosphate, ionic cement and bioactive glass. They stress the current paucity of data pertaining to the biological value of these materials and call for in vivo validation tests. They also review biomolecules such as BMP-2 or OP-1, whose osteoinductive properties are currently under investigation. Finally, they present the emergent field of cell therapy, in which osteoprogenitor cells are isolated from the patient's bone marrow and reinjected after in vitro cultivation. They stress the therapeutic and medicolegal problems raised by the combination of medical devices, grafts, medicinal products and cells, all of which have a different status within the complex European legal framework.

Animals↗

Physical and chemical processing for a human dura mater substitute.

OBJECT: Allogenic human fascia lata used in neurosurgery, as dura mater substitute, can be associated with a risk of viral and bacterial transmission. Chemical and physical procedures, developed to inactivate virus and bacteria, have been applied to fascia lata. The aim of this study consists in the evaluation of the biological properties of this treated graft. METHODS: Grafts were treated with solvent detergents, freeze-dried for conservation and gamma irradiated (25,000 Gy) for sterilization. The indirect toxicity evaluation was performed by extraction method, according to the International Standard Organization (ISO). First, the cytotoxic effect of each extracts incubated in the presence of human fibroblasts (WI38) was quantitatively assessed by measuring the cell growth, the viability (succinate dehydrogenase activity, MTT), the membrane integrity (uptake of the neutral red by viable cells, NR) as well as the release of lactate dehydrogenase in the culture medium. Second, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to assess the direct contact between human primary fibroblasts and graft. CLSM was performed at days 3 and 7 after cells loading. RESULTS: No acute cytotoxicity was observed for chemically processed allografts. Cells loaded on the graft have demonstrated a good growth and spreading. CONCLUSIONS: Human fascia lata secured against conventional and non-conventional agents is a fully biocompatible alternative to the available dural graft materials.

Biocompatible Materials↗

[Mechanical complications of total shoulder inverted prosthesis].

Our series of inverted prosthesis included 5 patients with a mean age of 73 +/- 6 years. In 4 cases, the implant was performed as a surgical revision. The follow up was 81 +/- 15 months. Three shoulders were pain free whereas two caused a dull pain after a free interval due to mechanical complications. The mean active elevation was 72 degrees while external rotation was - 2 degrees. The adjusted Constant score passed from 32 to 60. In case of complications, the score dropped to 32. Mechanical complications were important with in one case, an unscrening of the glenosphere and in two cases, a loosening of the glenoid prosthesis. This last and major complication occurred 6 years after surgery and was promoted by the occurrence of a progressive bone erosion in the scapula. This gap represented an attempt to accomodate the medial part of the humeral prosthesis under the scapula when the arm is at rest or in adduction. The concept of an inverted prosthesis is attractive and this implant remains one of the options in cuff-tear arthropathy. Our results were not as good as those reported by others but most of ours patients had been already operated before. The occurrence of an osseous gap on pilar of scapula may lead to failure of this prosthesis. This gap remains a threath as it can progress and as such warrants a design alteration of the prosthesis.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Inhomogeneity of human vertebral cancellous bone: systematic density and structure patterns inside the vertebral body.

In the spine, cancellous bone quality is usually assessed for the whole vertebral body in a transverse central slice. Correct identification and assessment of the weakest parts of the cancellous bone may lead to better prediction of fracture risk. The density and structural parameters were systematically investigated inside the thoracic (T-9), thoracolumbar (T12-L1), and lumbar (L-4) vertebral bodies of nine subjects. On both sides of the median sagittal plane, anterior and posterior 8.2 mm vertical cores were harvested in the thoracic vertebra. In the thoracolumbar and lumbar vertebrae, external samples were also cored. Peripheral quantitative computed tomographic (pQCT) density analysis of the 136 cores was performed at four different levels, from the lower to the upper endplate. The relatively thin slice thickness (300 microm) and small pixel size (70 microm x 70 microm) was considered sufficient to investigate the structural parameters on the four transverse slices and in the sagittal and coronal planes (total of 816 images). Using a constant threshold a binary image was generated and the morphometric data were extracted. The binary image was further skeletonized and classical strut analysis was performed. Cancellous bone density was 20% higher in the posterior cores than in the anterior and external cores. Moreover, clear vertical inhomogeneity was noted because the lowest half of the vertebral body presented lower density than the upper half (differences ranging from 25% to 15%). All structural parameters were strongly dependent on the location of the measurement. Structural differences between anterior, posterior, and external areas were mild and followed the density patterns. On the other hand, vertical inhomogeneity of the structural parameters was important. For example, in the thoracolumbar and lumbar vertebrae, the numbers of nodes or node-to-node struts were almost twofold higher in the inferior half than in the superior half (p < 0.01), whereas trabecular thickness and number of free-ends presented a center/close-to-endplate structural pattern, with central trabeculae being 15% thicker (p < 0.05) and presenting 30% fewer free-ends (p < 0.01) than the close-to-endplate ones. Variability of density and structural parameters was high and a substantial part of this variability could be explained by the place inside the vertebral body where the measurement was made. The weak part was not in the center of the body but in its upper half where the lower density did not seem to be compensated by a higher structural architecture. Further clinical investigation could enhance fracture prediction by tracking and focusing on the weakest part of the vertebral body.

Adult↗

Stiffness and compactness of morselized grafts during impaction: an in vitro study with human femoral heads.

The mechanical properties of the impacted material is important when using impaction bone grafting in revision arthroplasty. We did an in vitro study to monitor the stiffness and compactness of morsellized bone grafts during impaction. Using human osteoarthrotic femoral heads as the bone source we prepared 3 types of morselized grafts with the same bone mill: (1) purely cancellous grafts, (2) cortico-cancellous grafts and (3) cortico-cancellous bone with cartilage remnants. 5 g of bone samples were progressively impacted up to 150 times in a contained cavity. All types of grafts became stiffer and stiffer during the first 30 impactions. After 30 impactions, the grafts' compactness continued to increase slowly without concomitant changes in their stiffness. Over-impaction was not useful, but did not jeopardize the implant stability. The presence of cartilage remnants considerably compromised the increase in stiffness. In contrast, the addition of cortical bone from the femoral neck did not affect the impaction and resultant stiffness.

Aged↗

[Bone grafts using tissue engineering].

An overview of bone grafts and, in particular, the allografts is presented. The availability of bone allografts, has promoted their use at the expense of the autograft. However, the loss of the cellular activity in an allograft, makes them less performant than an autograft. The use of an allograft in a small size defect can be advocated provided that the implantation technique is stringent. In case of a large segmental bone defect, an allograft can be considered whereas an autograft is not anymore possible. A massive bone allograft allows an anatomical reconstruction and the preservation of strong tendon insertions. In tumor surgery, a bone allograft has become one of the best options to reshape the skeleton. To offset the poor remodeling of the massive bone allografts, and to improve the take of small size bone allografts, researches are presently carried on, using tissue engineering in order to recover a cellular population. The aim is to combine an acellular bone graft with the cells of the recipient. Cells are procured from the bone marrow. Stromal cells are isolated, cultured, so that they will grow with an osteoblastic phenotype. They can be used alone or in association with a bone graft. It is believed that tomorrow such cellular therapy will become a routine procedure.

Bone Transplantation↗

Effect of freeze-drying and gamma irradiation on the mechanical properties of human cancellous bone.

Freeze-drying and gamma irradiation are commonly used for preservation and sterilization in bone banking. The cumulative effects of preparation and sterilization of cancellous graft material have not been adequately studied, despite the clinical importance of graft material in orthopaedic surgery. Taking benefit from the symmetry of the left and right femoral heads, the influence of lipid extraction followed by freeze-drying of a femoral head and a final 25-kGy gamma irradiation was determined, with the nonirradiated, nonprocessed counterpart as the control. Five hundred and fifty-six compression tests were performed (137 pairs for the first treatment and 141 pairs for the second). Mechanical tests were performed after 30 minutes of rehydration in saline solution. Freeze-dried femoral heads that had undergone lipid extraction experienced reductions of 18.9 and 20.2% in ultimate strength and stiffness, respectively. Unexpectedly, the work to failure did not decrease after this treatment. The addition of gamma irradiation resulted in a mean drop of 42.5% in ultimate strength. Stiffness of the processed bone was not modified by the final irradiation, with an insignificant drop of 24%, whereas work to failure was reduced by a mean of 71.8%. Freeze-dried bone was a bit less strong and stiff than its frozen control. Its work to failure was not reduced, due to more deformation in the nonlinear domain, and it was not brittle after 30 minutes of rehydration. Final irradiation of the freeze-dried bone weakened its mechanical resistance, namely by the loss of its capacity to absorb the energy (in a plastic way) and a subsequent greater brittleness.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Cortical bone allografting in femoral head necrosis.

Ten femoral heads (six patients) with avascular necrosis were operated on using a fibular allograft. The procedure included core decompression followed by insertion of a cortical bone graft in order to relieve mechanical stresses from the overlying subchondral bone. The presence of the supporting graft should avoid an expected collapse or prevent its worsening if already present. A freeze-dried and processed cortical bone allograft was preferred to an autograft. Weightbearing was normally and fully resumed at the second postoperative month. There were three failures within the first year, four satisfactory results, in which the hip was replaced after 4 years while there are still 3 hips that have been preserved from arthroplasty in young patients after 5 years. The technique is easy and able to substantially delay an arthroplasty in an active patient.

Adult↗

Simple bone cysts treated with aspiration and a single bone marrow injection. A preliminary report.

The results of a single percutaneous aspiration and injection of marrow into active, simple bone cysts are reported in 8 cases. Slow regression of the cyst was consistently observed except in one lesion in the distal tibia. All the patients have been free of symptoms after this treatment after a mean follow up of 31 months. The evolution of the cysts was monitored by a cyst index, cyst diameter measurements and computer assisted densitometric image analysis of serial radiographs.

Bone Cysts↗

Ethanol treatment of tendon allografts: a potential HIV inactivating procedure.

The penetration rate of ethanol in human tendons was studied to in order to define the conditions which were necessary to achieve an inactivating concentration against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) within the tendon. The rate of alcohol penetration was found to be slow and did not differ with different types of tendons. An average ethanol concentration of 14% (v/v) was measured in human tendons after they had been immersed for 2 h in 70% (v/v) ethanol, and a concentration of 19% (v/v) was reached after 3 h. Ethanol immersion of human tendons may represent an additional safety procedure in inactivating the HIV virus provided the duration is at least 3 h.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗

Digital image analysis of bone allograft union in sheep.

We compared the reliability of computer-assisted radiographic analysis (CARA) and visual evaluation of radiographs to assess host-graft junctions. 68 host bone/allograft junctions were obtained from an ongoing study on bone allografting in sheep. At 6 months, the grafted tibias were explanted and healing of the host-graft junctions were macroscopically determined. 49 junctions were macroscopically healed, whereas 19 had not united. 51 (0.8) of the junctions were correctly classified by radiographs, while 63 (0.9) of the junctions were correctly classified by CARA (p = 0.03). These findings warrant further evaluation in a clinical setting.

Animals↗

Antibiotic-loaded plaster of Paris implants coated with poly lactide-co-glycolide as a controlled release delivery system for the treatment of bone infections.

Plaster of Paris implants containing vancomycin (60 mg/g of carrier) were prepared in order to be used as local delivery system for the treatment of bone infections. The regulation of the release rate was performed by coating the carrier with a polylactide-co-glycolide polymer composed by 10% (w/w) polyglycolic acid and 90% (w/w) racemic poly (D,L-lactic acid). The release of the antibiotic from the biodegradable matrix was evaluated in vitro. From this investigation, it is clear that the drug elution depends on the coating depth. After a burst effect occurring on the first day of the experiment, therapeutic concentrations were measured during one week when uncoated implants were used. The coating allowed decrease of the burst effect and extended efficient release to more than five weeks when the implants were embedded with six layers (162 microns) of PLA45GA10. This delivery system was implanted into the femoral condyle of rabbits. It was shown that the in vivo release was also closely regulated by the coating depth. In all bone tissues (bone marrow and cortical bone) surrounding the pellets, the drug concentration exceeded the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration for the common causative organisms of bone infections (Staphylococcus aureus) for at least four weeks without inducing serum toxic levels. Due to its cheapness, facility of use and sterilization, biocompatibility and biodegradability, plaster of Paris coated with PLA45GA10 polymer giving a controlled release of vancomycin appears to be a promising sustained release delivery system of antibiotics for the treatment of bone and joint infections.

Animals↗

Ethylene oxide does not extinguish the osteoinductive capacity of demineralized bone. A reappraisal in rats.

We examined the influence of ethylene oxide (EO) and gamma irradiation on the osteoinductive capacity of demineralized bone. Demineralized bone powder prepared from Wistar rats was exposed to EO (55 degrees C or 40 degrees C) or gamma irradiation (25 KGy) or was preserved in ethanol. Sterilely-prepared bones served as controls. The powder was packed in a gelatin capsule and implanted for 6 weeks in muscles of 6-week-old female rats. Exposure of demineralized bone particles to EO 55 degrees C resulted in an almost complete loss of osteoinductivity. Irradiated bones lost about 40% of their osteoinductive capacity, while sterilization with EO at 40 degrees C resulted in only a slight alteration of the osteoinductivity, as assessed by the recovered weight ratio, calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity measurements and histomorphometry. Ethanol treatment had no influence on the new bone yield when compared to controls. As EO exposure at 40 degrees C is a true sterilization procedure, it can be recommended in a clinical setting for its small effect on osteoinductive capacity as assessed experimentally in rats.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Induced healing of aneurysmal bone cysts by demineralized bone particles. A report of two cases.

Two cases of induced healing of aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) following intralesional implantation of a bone paste made of autogeneic bone marrow and allogeneic bone powder are reported. The calcaneum in one case and the superior pubic ramus in the other were blown out by an ABC and would have required extensive surgery. Via a minimal exposure, the cyst was partially evacuated and filled with an admixture of a partially demineralized bone particles with bone marrow. Ossification of the peripheral shell was the first sign of healing and was observed within the first 3 postoperative months. Successful healing was observed in both cases. The rationale underlying this intralesional treatment was that the bone grafting material might reverse ABC expansion by promoting ossification through a bone induction mechanism. The concept of this treatment was to retain the ABC tissue, using its own intrinsic osteogenic potential to promote healing. By triggering intralesional new bone formation, the bone paste represented an effective means to reverse the expanding phase of ABC. The particulated bone allograft was easy to handle and to introduced in an irregular cavity. Moreover, as a complete cyst evacuation was not required, a minimal surgical approach could be used so that the risks and morbidity associated with an extensive approach were reduced. Its use is of particular interest in poorly accessible areas like the pelvis and spine.

Adolescent↗

Comparative left-right mechanical testing of cancellous bone from normal femoral heads.

In order to assess the potential influence of various physical or chemical treatments on bone grafts, and in particular, on femoral heads to be used as bone grafts, the mechanical symmetry of the femoral head was investigated. Pairs of proximal human femora were harvested and transversally sliced using a coordinate system to orient correctly the head. After being embedded and polished, bone slices were loaded to failure between two steel columns (6 mm of diameter) in a sequential and symmetrical manner for both heads. From ten pairs, 592 mechanical assays on the cancellous bone of femoral heads were performed. There was a high variation in the mechanical properties of the specimens from the different donors. However, no statistical difference could be observed within each pair when side-to-side symmetry was tested for the different mechanical characteristics. Ultimate stress at failure and stiffness were also highly correlated for each mirror location of each pair. Provided that an accurate and reproducible method of slicing femoral head can be achieved, an excellent mechanical symmetry is observed using a static compressive test. Such a method could be used to determine the mechanical influence of any treatment applied to bone.

Aged↗