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theses

Due to the increasing number of orthopedic injuries occurring each year, there is a critical need for better treatments of improperly healed fractures. Today’s treatments, such as autografts, allografts, and biocompatible ceramics, all have their own drawbacks, including donor site morbidity, disease transmission, and poor degradation rates. To circumvent these problems, bone tissue engineering utilizes various biocompatible materials and cells to mimic native bone while new tissue is created. We have developed a prevascularized tissue-engineered scaffold that combines two stereoisomers of polylactic acid and hydroxyapatite to simultaneously entice osteogenic and vascular differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, we have implanted these scaffolds into a radial defect model in New Zealand white rabbits for 8 weeks. Radiographic images at 4 and 8 weeks have shown considerable remodeling occurring at the implant site and stable implants throughout the study. Results from micro computed tomography showed a large amount of new bone growth into and around the scaffold, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Mechanical testing resulted in similar amounts of force required to remove the scaffold from the implant site when compared to the allograft control. Finally, histological analysis showed collagen deposition into and around the scaffolds with many cells present throughout. Signs of vasculature can be seen in the osteons but there is little evidence of angiogenesis. The tissue-engineered scaffold used in this study was comparable to an allograft, one of today’s gold standards, and shows potential to be a clinically useful alternative.

ETD_10225

M.S.

Includes bibliographical references

doi:10.7282/t3-82vf-j514

ETD graduate

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