Evaluation of comparative soft tissue response to bone void fillers with antibiotics in a rabbit intramuscular model

This animal study investigates the in-vivo absorption characteristics and tissue response of STIMULAN Rapid Cure combined with gentamicin (RCS) with that of two other commercially available calcium sulphate-based materials: Cerament-G (CSHA) and Herafil Beads G (CSCC). Each of the bone void fillers (1cc) were place into four non-adjacent intramuscular sites of 18 New Zealand white rabbits (n=6). Results for both radiographic and MicroCT analysis showed STIMULAN to be almost completely absorbed by day 21, while both CSHA and CSCC absorbed slower and at day 63 were detectable in all four implantation sites. Systemically, gentamicin levels were only detected between 1h and 24h timepoints. Residual bead analysis revealed the presence of detectable gentamicin for RCS and CSHA at 24h and 7 days with none detected in CSCC. Despite material remaining, gentamicin was not detectable in residual beads of CSHA and CSCC at days 21 and 42. Blood serum inflammatory cytokine levels showed no unusual inflammatory response to the implanted materials. <pThe abstract and full paper can be read here.