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Treatment of long bone defects and non-unions: from research to clinical practice

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Abstract

The treatment of long bone defects and non-unions is still a major clinical and socio-economical problem. In addition to the non-operative therapeutic options, such as the application of various forms of electricity, extracorporeal shock wave therapy and ultrasound therapy, which are still in clinical use, several operative treatment methods are available. No consensus guidelines are available and the treatments of such defects differ greatly. Therefore, clinicians and researchers are presently investigating ways to treat large bone defects based on tissue engineering approaches. Tissue engineering strategies for bone regeneration seem to be a promising option in regenerative medicine. Several in vitro and in vivo studies in small and large animal models have been conducted to establish the efficiency of various tissue engineering approaches. Neverthelsss, the literature still lacks controlled studies that compare the different clinical treatment strategies currently in use. However, based on the results obtained so far in diverse animal studies, bone tissue engineering approaches need further validation in more clinically relevant animal models and in clinical pilot studies for the translation of bone tissue engineering approaches into clinical practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß Allee 11, 93052, Regensburg, Germany

    Arne Berner, Michael B. Müller, Johannes Zellner, Christian Pfeifer, Thomas Dienstknecht, Michael Nerlich & Bernd Füchtmeier

  2. Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 60 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove, 4059, Queensland, Australia

    Arne Berner & Michael A. Schütz

  3. Orthopaedic Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Julius Maximilian’s University, Würzburg, Germany

    Johannes C. Reichert

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Wesley Medical Centre, Brisbane, Australia

    Scott Sommerville & Ian C. Dickinson

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  1. Arne Berner
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  2. Johannes C. Reichert
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  3. Michael B. Müller
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  4. Johannes Zellner
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  8. Scott Sommerville
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  11. Bernd Füchtmeier
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Correspondence to Arne Berner.

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This project was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG; BE 4492/2-1).

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Berner, A., Reichert, J.C., Müller, M.B. et al. Treatment of long bone defects and non-unions: from research to clinical practice. Cell Tissue Res 347, 501–519 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-011-1184-8

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