Geistlich at Europerio: Innovative minimally-invasive
To what extent can we manage augmentations without autologous bone and soft tissue today? More than some would imagine – even for large bone and soft tissue reconstructions.
Prof. Christoph Hämmerle and Prof. Istvan Urban presented innovative augmentation approaches with biomaterials at the fully booked Geistlich Symposium at Europerio London.
Matrix instead of connective tissue
“If you were to offer the patient the choice between two equivalent alternatives, then they would choose the least painful one”, asserted Prof. Christoph Hämmerle from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Intensive efforts are currently underway in his department to utilise the possibility of a novel 3D volume stable collagen matrix in place of a connective tissue graft. This matrix is intended to significantly thicken the tissue and is therefore applicable in indications such as thickening of soft tissues around implants. Initial results from an ongoing study have revealed equally good outcomes for the 3D matrix and the connective tissue graft.
Granulate instead of bone block
How to resolve large horizontal deficits without autologous bone blocks was demonstrated by Prof. Istvan Urban, Budapest/USA. He uses a 1:1 mixture of autologous bone chips and Geistlich Bio-Oss®, which he rigidly fixes with resorbable Geistlich Bio-Gide® collagen membrane. This “sausage technique” requires no rigid membrane. There are two advantages here: On the one hand, the graft is provided with nutrients more effectively, as Geistlich Bio-Gide® does not block the supply from the surrounding soft tissue. No second operation is required to remove the membrane, on the other, as Geistlich Bio-Gide® is integrated. As the speaker explained, the high elasticity of the membrane is especially advantageous for this approach.