COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF FIRST- AND ADAPTED SECOND-GENERATION BONE CEMENTATION IN POST-CURETTAGE BONE DEFECT FILLING IN AN ANIMAL MODEL.

INTRODUCTION: Bone cementation is fundamental for orthopedic stability, and different techniques have been proposed to optimize the bone-cement interface. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether adapted second-generation cementation improves osteointegration compared with the first-generation technique. METHODS: Bone defects created in the femora and tibiae of goats were filled with polymethylmethacrylate using either the first-generation technique (Group 1) or an adaptation of the second-generation technique (Group 2). Cementation quality and the bone-cement interface were assessed by radiography, CT, and photographic analysis, evaluated by orthopedic examiners. Statistical analyses employed the chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: No statistical differences were observed between the groups regarding cementation quality (radiography and CT) or osteointegration (photographic analysis) (p > 0.05). On CT, the mean number of bubbles was higher in the second-generation (6.05 vs. 3.95), whereas the proportion of samples with ≥5 bubbles was higher in the first-generation (50% vs. 30%). Photographic analysis showed that the second-generation group had a higher mean number of interdigitations (2.4 vs. 1.6) and a greater frequency of rough interfaces (50% vs. 25%). However, the first-generation group presented greater interdigitation depth (0.40 mm vs. 0.35 mm). CONCLUSION: Adapted second-generation cementation showed no clear advantage over the first-generation technique. Level of evidence II; Investigation of treatment outcomes in an animal model.