Longitudinal overgrowth of bone after osteotomy in young rats: influence of bone stability.
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.
Garcés
G L
GL
Instituto Canario de Ortopedia Traumatología, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas Spain.
García-Castellano
J M
JM
Nogales
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000293:injuries; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016267:External Fixators; D017102:Fracture Healing; D006801:Humans; D007870:Leg Length Inequality / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*