European Spine Journal

, Volume 23, Issue 3, pp 650–657 | Cite as

Biological performance of a polycaprolactone-based scaffold plus recombinant human morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in an ovine thoracic interbody fusion model

  • Mostyn R N O Yong
  • Siamak Saifzadeh
  • Geoffrey N Askin
  • Robert D Labrom
  • Dietmar W Hutmacher
  • Clayton J Adam
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Purpose

We develop a sheep thoracic spine interbody fusion model to study the suitability of polycaprolactone-based scaffold and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) as a bone graft substitute within the thoracic spine. The surgical approach is a mini-open thoracotomy with relevance to minimally invasive deformity correction surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. To date there are no studies examining the use of this biodegradable implant in combination with biologics in a sheep thoracic spine model.

Methods

In the present study, six sheep underwent a 3-level (T6/7, T8/9 and T10/11) discectomy with randomly allocated implantation of a different graft substitute at each of the three levels: (a) calcium phosphate (CaP) coated polycaprolactone-based scaffold plus 0.54 μg rhBMP-2 (b) CaP-coated PCL-based scaffold alone or (c) autograft (mulched rib head). Fusion was assessed at 6 months post-surgery.

Results

Computed Tomographic scanning demonstrated higher fusion grades in the rhBMP-2 plus PCL-based scaffold group in comparison with either PCL-based scaffold alone or autograft. These results were supported by histological evaluations of the respective groups. Biomechanical testing revealed significantly higher stiffness for the rhBMP-2 plus PCL-based scaffold group in all loading directions in comparison with the other two groups.

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrate that rhBMP-2 plus PCL-based scaffold is a viable bone graft substitute, providing an optimal environment for thoracic interbody spinal fusion in a large animal model.

Keywords

Animal model Spinal fusion Polycaprolactone Growth factors Bone tissue engineering 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Maree Izatt, Nabeel Sunni, Cedryck Vaquette, Mia Woodruff, Beau Brooker, Edward Ren, Kristofor Bogoevski, Flavia Savi, Alan Carstens and Eugene Verzin for their kind assistance and technical support. This work was supported by the Queensland Orthopaedic Research Trust.

Conflict of interest

None.

Ethical standards

All institutional and national guidelines for care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Mostyn R N O Yong
    • 1
  • Siamak Saifzadeh
    • 1
  • Geoffrey N Askin
    • 1
  • Robert D Labrom
    • 1
    • 1
  • Dietmar W Hutmacher
    • 1
  • Clayton J Adam
    • 1
  1. 1.Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneAustralia

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