OSTENE was shown not to interfere with cranial bone healing in a rat model at UCLA.¹

Seventeen 3 mm calvarial defects were created in rat calvaria. The amount of new bone formation at 3 weeks was calculated using micro-CT data.

The amount of new bone formation filling the defects is shown above. The Ostene filled defects had significantly more bone formation than those filled with bone wax (P≤.001).

OSTENE was shown not to interfere with sternal bone healing in a rabbit sternotomy model.²

Median sternotomies were performed on 20 rabbits, and hemostasis was achieved using either Bone Wax or Ostene.

OSTENE was shown not to infection rates in a rabbit tibia model.³

Cortical bone defects were created in the proximal tibia in 24 rabbits. The defects were either treated with bone wax, Ostene, or left without a hemostatic agent, and all were inoculated with Staph aureus.

After 4 weeks all defects containing bone wax became infected and developed osteomyelitis, with destruction of the bone marrow, abscess formation, periosteal reaction, and bone lysis. There was no bone healing in any of the defects treated with bone wax.

In the Ostene and control groups, 2 defects in each group (25%) developed osteomyelitis. The remaining 6 defects in each group (75%) showed no evidence of osteomyelitis, and all exhibited normal bone healing.
The application of bone wax to the cortical defect significantly increased the osteomyelitis rate (P ≤ .004). There was no difference between the Ostene group and the control group in the rates of osteomyelitis, positive cultures, or bone healing.

OSTENE was shown not to cause inflammation in a number studies.⁴

Chronic inflammatory reaction to Bone Wax in a rabbit model

Ostene is non-inflammatory. Studies have shown that bone wax, gelatin sponges, collagen and oxidized cellulose may lead to chronic inflammatory reactions and/or interfere with bone healing.⁵ Inflammation and swelling are particularly problematic in closed spaces such as those encountered in the cranium and spine.

1. Magyar CE, Aghaloo TL, Atti E, Tetradis S: Ostene, a New Water Soluble Wax for Bone Hemostasis, Does Not Inhibit Bone Healing, presented at the 2007 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting. Washington DC, April 17, 2007.

2. Armstrong JK, Fisher TC, Cambridge JS, et al.: The Effects Of Bone Wax And Ostene, A Newly Available Water-Soluble Synthetic Bone Hemostasis Material, On Sternal Healing Following Median Sternotomy In An Animal Model, presented at the 87th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Thoracic Surgery. Washington DC, May 5, 2007.

3. Wellisz T, An YH, Wen X, et al.: Infection Rates and Healing Using Bone Wax and a Soluble Polymer Material. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2008:466:481–486.

4. Wellisz T, Armstrong JK, Cambridge J, Fisher TC: Ostene, a new water-soluble bone hemostasis agent. J Craniofac Surg 2006:17:420-425.

5. Schonauer C, Tessitore E, Barbagallo G, Albanese V, Moraci A: The use of local agents: bone wax, gelatin, collagen, oxidized cellulose. Eur Spine J 2004:13 Suppl 1:S89-96.