Ostrich eggshell as an onlay bone-graft substitute for orbital blow-out fractures

Rhoumel A. Yadao, MD; Gloria D.  Lim, MD; Lawrence C. Pe,MD; Allan M. Valdez, MD; Susan Cristobal, MD; Alice Tuesday C.  Sunico, MD; Hazel L. Romero, MD

Authors

Rhoumel A. Yadao, MD Department of Ophthalmology Author
Gloria D. Lim, MD Department of Ophthalmology Author
Lawrence C. Pe,MD Department of Ophthalmology Author
Allan M. Valdez, MD Department of Ophthalmology Author
Susan Cristobal, MD Department of Pathology Author
Alice Tuesday C. Sunico, MD Department of Pathology Author
Hazel L. Romero, MD Department of Radiology East Avenue Medical Center Quezon City, Philippines Author

Keywords:

Eggshell, Blow-out, Implant, Orbit, Graft

Abstract

Objective: To assess the biological behavior of an ostrich eggshell implant as an onlay graft on the orbital floor.

Methods: This is an experimental study of 12 rabbits implanted with ostrich eggshell (6 rabbits with 5mm- and 6 rabbits with 10mm-diameter grafts) subperiosteally in the right orbital floor. The right orbit was harvested en bloc 1, 2, and 3 months after onlay. Radiographic studies were done one day after implantation and prior to harvest. The specimens were submitted for gross and microscopic studies.

Results: All animals showed normal wound healing. The grafts were stable and no foreign body reaction was observed 1, 2 and 3 months postimplantation. The size of the ostrich eggshell implants remained the same. There was no change in radiodensity at 3 months observation.

Conclusion: The results of this study support the potential application of ostrich eggshell as bone substitute for orbital floor fractures.