Rotational remodeling of malrotated femoral fractures: a model in the rabbit.
It is estimated that 20-40% of femoral fractures in children heal in malrotation, yet few patients later complain. To determine if malrotation corrects spontaneously, midshaft osteotomies were made in femurs of 16 rabbits aged 8 weeks and the distal fragments were internally rotated 45 degrees, where they were held with external fixators. The animals were killed between week 0 and week 17. Version of the femoral necks was determined by computed tomography scan (CT). The version altered rapidly toward normal from weeks 0 to 4 and then remained stable, with an average rotational remodeling of 55%.
Strong
M L
ML
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Buffalo, New York 14222.
Wong-Chung
J
J
Babikian
G
G
Brody
A
A
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D012399:Rotation; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing