Aim: Microdialysis is an established method in brain research. Herewith samples from extracellular space can be collected. Aim of our study was to evaluate the concentration of growth factors and proteins with microdialysis on implant surfaces in time line.

Materials and methods: The catheter used in our in vitro study was a commercially available sterile CMA-71-catheter customized with a 100 kDa cut-off-membrane. An explanted bloc of a minipig mandible ( n = 25) was used for insertion of a dental implant and a separate osteotomy. The osteotomy had the same diameter and length compared to the implant. The first microdialysis catheter was inserted in an artificially created cavity along the implant. A second catheter was placed in the osteotomy. Ringer’s solution served as perfusion liquid. The explanted bloc was surrounded by 10 ml of specific solution (PBS + 5 ng TGF-ß1/ml + 5 ng IL-1ß/ml). Microdialysis was started after diffusion of the solution into the implant cavity and osteotomy. Dialysate samples of both catheters were taken every 2 h and compared to the initial solution. The maximum examination interval was 8 h. The concentration of the mediators TGF-ß1 and IL-1ß in the dialysate was measured by ELISA.

Results: The relative recovery rate of TGF-ß1 of the implant cavity was 12.3% and of the osteotomy 22.5%. The relative recovery rate of IL-1ß was lower (implant cavity 0.7%; bone defect 1.4%).

Conclusion: Microdialysis can be used as an in vitro method for dental implants. In vivo studies are necessary to prove if microdialysis can be used for recovery of mediators in the very early phase of implant healing.

Conflict of interest: None declared.