[How does bone behave when an immunologic reaction (caused by administration of antigen) is induced a long time after metal implantation].

It has been ascertained that metal implantation in the femoral bone of rats with simultaneously induction of immunological reaction leads in all probability to intense bone damage. It is possible that the sum of all qualitative and quantitative haemodynamic and biochemical consequences from the bone injury (implantation) and the immunological reaction are responsible for this result. To investigate the above possibility, we carried out this study with a monthly delay of antigen administration after metal implantation. We found that: a) Bone alterations occur in approximately 50% of experimental animals which received antigen. b) These bone changes are shown radiologically as osteolysis of immunological reaction, respectically. c) These changes are of less intensity than those produced in simultaneous implantation and antigen administration, but of practical importance. d) None of the control animals (without antigen administration) showed any radiologically visible bone alteration. We discuss the clinical usefulness of these results.