ISSN:
1432-0827
Keywords:
Key words: Bone growth — Fractures — Osteotomy.
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract. One hundred and five 5-week-old male rats were used to study the influence of the stability of an osteotomy on longitudinal overgrowth of the bone. In 45 rats (Group 1) a transverse diaphyseal osteotomy of the right tibia was made; the left tibia was left untreated. In the second 45 rats (Group 2) the right tibia was osteotomized after applying an external fixator; the left tibia underwent a sham operation without osteotomy. Fifteen further rats (Group 3) were used as a nonoperated control group. After being measured at different periods up to 20 weeks, the osteotomized tibiae of the Group 1 (unstable) were 16–25% longer than those of their nontreated limbs (P 〈 0.001). The osteotomized tibiae of the Group 2 (stable) were 6–11% longer than those of the sham-operated opposite limbs (P 〈 0.001). The osteotomized and unstable tibiae were 9–17% longer than the osteotomized and stable tibiae (P 〈 0.001) throughout the whole study. Although several factors have been considered to be responsible for longitudinal bone overgrowth after fracture in young animals, this work suggests that bone's stability plays a decisive role in the final outcome.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002239900249
