A group of researchers conducted a study to gain further insight on the effects of implant coating. The animal experience was designed to investigate the efficacy of combined magnetic fields treatment and nano-hydroxyapatite coating in posterolateral lumbar fusion.
The researchers published their study in Spine after looking at the effects of a bilateral transverse process fusion model that was performed on 32 rabbits. The CMF treatment was performed for 30 minutes each day post-operation.
Nine weeks after the CMF treatment, researchers studied the fusion rate, new bone formation, artificial bone graft-autologous bone fusion interface in X-ray and scanning electron microscopy and artificial bone residual rate.
The reason for the study was to determine if the bone graft integration improved spinal fusion, nano-HA coating and CMF treatment.
Here are five study findings.
1. CMF treatment and nano-HA coating increased fusion rate, adjusted optical dentistry index, binding intensity of artificial and autologous bone, bone growth rate and bending stiffness.
2. The CMF treatment also increased BMP-2 expression in fusion region.
3. Nano-HA coating decreased bone residual rate.
4. The combination of CMF treatment and nano-HA could increase posterolateral fusion rate and could be used as a strategy for a spine fusion preclinical study.
5. Authors concluded, "Porous nano-HA/BCP graft could significantly improve spine fusion outcomes excellent bioactivity, biocompatibility and degradability, and CMF treatment could significantly improve spine fusion outcome by improving bioactivity and biocompatibility of artificial bone graft in rabbit."