The effects of vascularity and cyclosporin A on the mechanical properties of canine fibular autografts.
We studied the biomechanical behavior of orthotopic canine autografts as influenced by vascularized supply and the administration of cyclosporin A at three months and six months post-surgery. The model was the proximal 8 cm of the fibula in young adult dogs. In vascularized grafts, blood supply was re-established by microvascular re-anastomosis. Experimental controls were sham-operated and unoperated bones. Mid-graft test sections were subjected to loading-to-failure in torsion to determine the strength and stiffness. In both three- and six-month groups, vascularized grafts were significantly stronger and stiffer than contralateral nonvascularized grafts. Vascularized grafts were not significantly different from sham-operated bones. A 30-day regimen of cyclosporin A was found to have no measurable effect on mechanical properties for any individual treatment group. The results indicate that re-established blood supply can be a major factor in maintaining the mechanical integrity in large-segment cortical autografts.
Bensusan
J S
JS
Department of Orthopaedics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Davy
D T
DT
Goldberg
V M
VM
Shaffer
J W
JW
Stevenson
S
S
Klein
L
L
Field
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs; D004548:Elasticity; D005360:Fibula / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
D016572:Cyclosporine