Diverse patterns of bone regeneration in rabbit calvarial defects depending on the type of collagen membrane

PURPOSE: Various crosslinking methods have been introduced to increase the longevity of collagen membranes. The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the degradation and bone regeneration patterns of 3 collagen membranes. METHODS: Four 8-mm-diameter circular bone defects were created in the calvaria of 10 rabbits. In each rabbit, each defect was randomly allocated to 1) the sham control group, 2) the non-crosslinked collagen sponge (NS) group, 3) the chemically crosslinked collagen membrane (CCM) group, or 4) the biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP)-supplemented ultraviolet (UV)-crosslinked collagen membrane (UVM) group. Each defect was covered with the allocated membrane without any graft material. Rabbits were sacrificed at either 2 or 8 weeks post-surgery, and radiographic and histologic analyses were done. RESULTS: New bone formed underneath the membrane in defects in the CCM and UVM groups, with a distinctive new bone formation pattern, while new bone formed from the base of the defect in the NS and control groups. The CCM maintained its shape until 8 weeks, while the UVM and NS were fully degraded at 8 weeks; simultaneously, sustained inflammatory infiltration was found in the margin of the CCM, while it was absent in the UVM. In conclusion, the CCM showed longer longevity than the UVM, but was accompanied by higher levels of inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Both the CCM and UVM showed distinctive patterns of enhancement in new bone formation in the early phase. UV crosslinking can be a biocompatible alternative to chemical crosslinking.