RESUMO
Twenty-two adult mongrel dogs were used to investigate the effects of storage alone and storage and perfusion in 3 different storage media on the survival of osteocytes and osteoblasts in free bone grafts revascularized by microvascular anastomoses. Evaluation of the grafts at 2 weeks demonstrated that storage in chilled (+ 5 degrees C) physiologic saline or Collins-Terasaki solution resulted in greater survival of osteocytes and osteoblasts than did storage in chilled BGJb solution or in room temperature air. No beneficial effect could be detected from perfusing the bone grafts with their storage media. On the contrary, deleterious effects were noted at the sites of the anastomoses, with thromboses of vessels secondary to endothelial damage.