Incorporation of raloxifene-impregnated allograft around orthopedic titanium implants impairs early fixation but improves new bone formation: A 4-week study in 12 dogs

Background — The anti-osteoporotic drug raloxifene reduces the risk of vertebral fractures by increasing bone mass density. We investigated whether raloxifene offers any benefits in augmenting early fixation of orthopedic implants in the setting of impaction bone grafting. Methods — 24 non-weight-bearing grafted gap implants were inserted bilaterally into the tibia of 12 dogs. The 2.5-mm peri-implant gap was filled with either raloxifene-impregnated or untreated bone allograft. Implants were harvested after 28 days. Implant fixation was assessed by mechanical testing and histomorphometric evaluation. Results — Raloxifene-treated allograft reduced early implant fixation compared to untreated allograft, as measured by inferior maximum shear strength (p < 0.001) and apparent shear stiffness (p = 0.001). We found that the raloxifene group had more newly formed bone in the gap around the implant (p = 0.02), but also less allograft (p = 0.03). Interpretation — The accelerated allograft resorption in the raloxif...