A new era for bone graft materials
Finding appropriate BGM is not always straightforward. The use of synthetic BGM (SBGM) is posing as an attractive alternative to auto- and allo-grafts, which are limited by a series of problems such as long-term pain and suitability of donors. The EC-funded PORELEASE project concentrated on the study of engineered SBGM as scaffolding material for cellular growth. Project partner Hi-Por Ceramics studied bioceramic scaffolding materials in particular. The company developed a novel process for the measurement of pore sizes in different samples of these materials. The common method used to derive data on pore size distribution is image analysis. However, image analysis is a complex method requiring specialised equipment and can yield misleading results in certain cases. The new technique is based on gas permeability tests and it is a lot easier to carry out. The method produces a dimension for the diameter of an equivalent cylindrical capillary based on an idealised approximation of the porous structure. Further analysis can yield results, which can be more reliable than those derived from the image analysis. This innovative approach could form the basis for a new quality control process.
