An experimental study on the angioarchitecture of regrafted bone tissue:

a comparison between free and vascularized bone tissue.

Abstract

A comparative morphological study was made of both vascularized and free bone tissues in process of angioarchitecture and bone remodeling. Mandibular bone fragments, both those with and without alveolar inferior vessels, of 39 mongrel adult dogs were regrafted. Transparent and H.E. preparations by means of India ink injection, SEM by means of mercox injection and vascular levels measured 7 times over six months.

In the free bone tissues, new vessels from the surrounding recipient bed formed a fine network after infiltrating the spongy area, followed by the formation of new bone tissue along the spongy trabeculae. New vessels from the bone marrow penetrated into the Volkmann’s canals of the compact area, where regrafted bone absorption and new bone apposition was taking place. Angioarchitecture and bone remodeling in the regrafted bone tissue advanced gradually, and the bony union between the regrafted and recipient bone tissues was achieved. On the other hand, in the vascularized tissue previous vessels and bone formation process continued in both the regrafted and recipient bone tissues. In the free bone tissue, the vascular levels on the 7th or 14th day were conspicuously low. However, in the vascularized bone tissue the levels showed that blood circulation was maintained even on the first or 7th days, and then gradually returned to normal levels.

In all the angioarchitecture and bone remodeling processes after regrafting the vascularized bone and the spongy areas tended to be superior to the free bone and the compact areas in both rate and area of recovery.