Coral Calcium (Biocoral) Has Potential as Bone Graft Material

The drawbacks of freshly harvested autologous bone have resulted in the search for an alternative, capable of supporting osteogenic cell growth. This capability was examined in potential bone graft materials by culturing human osteoblasts on each material. Test materials included rat bone, Surgibone, Ostilit, Biocoral and Tisseel. After 3 days osteoblasts had adhered to all materials, except Ostilit. With increasing time the cells multiplied on the materials, to varying extents. Cell affinity was greatest for rat bone and Tisseel. Fewer cells attached to Biocoral and Surgibone. Thus all the materials, with the exception of Ostilit, were biocompatible for human osteoblasts.