You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Large bone defects have been successfully repaired by using sea coral as a scaffold for mesenchymal stem cell growth

Initial studies published in Nature Biotechnology by Dr Herve Petite and a team at Laboratoire de Recherches Orthopediques in Paris indicate that sea coral is an excellent biodegradable material to act as a scaffold for bone regeneration in situations in which a bone graft would usually be used. 

Coral consists predominantly of calcium and phosphorus and the studies were conducted in sheep with 25mm bone defects in their feet. The coral scaffold was introduced:

• By itself, or
• With freshly harvested  bone marrow, or
• With mesenchymal stem cells (grown in vitro)

Mesenchymal stem cells are primitive cells derived from bone marrow. They can be easily cultured in vitro and help in bone regeneration. 

In this study the coral biodegraded within 4 weeks. In untreated animals, and animals with coral alone, or with the coral and fresh bone marrow the fractures did not heal. In the group with coral and mesenchymal stem cells the fractures showed significant bone remodelling by 16 weeks, and in some cases the fracture had fused.

The researchers consider that this technique will be most beneficial in situations were there is a large defect in a bone, and where a large cortical bone graft would be needed. Clinical trials are now being planned in humans.

Last updated : October 2013