Comparative study in vivo of the osseointegration of 3D-printed and plasma-coated titanium implants

Figure 1 Design of study with characteristics of implanted material and stages of index surgery. A: Design of an experimental study on rats with a demonstration of the features of the implant materials used; B: 3D-printed titanium implant; C: Plasma-coated titanium implant; D-F: Stages of surgical intervention.

Figure 2 Fluorescence microscopy of rat femoral sections after index surgery. Titanium implants (black color) with 3D-printed or plasma-coated titanium in the distal metaphysis of the rat femur. Bone trabeculae are formed along the perimeter of implants with areas of bone marrow. White rectangles show fragments of the corresponding photos taken at a higher magnification. Longitudinal sections. A-D: 45 d (n = 10) after implantation; E-H: 90 d (n = 10). B: Bone trabeculae; Bm: Bone marrow.

Figure 3 Bone tissue formation (Bone-implant-contact%; Bone marrow%) around two types of titanium implants. 3D-printed and plasma-coated titanium implants 45 d (n = 10) and 90 d (n = 10) after implantation in the distal metaphysis of the femur of rats. Data are presented as mean ± SD. A: Bone-implant contact (Bone-implant-contact%) is significantly higher at day 90 for the implant with 3D-printed titanium; B: Bone marrow% is significantly lower at day 90 for the implant with 3D-printed titanium. NS: Not significant; ^aP < 0.05.