Summary
In two groups of rats a partial, transverse osteotomy at the mid-shaft of the femur was made. The osteotomy was manually broken in one of the groups after the operation. The healing process of the osteotomies was evaluated at 15, 30, 60, and 90 days following operation. The unstable osteotomies healed by the formation of external callus, in contrast to the stable osteotomies, which healed by so-called primary bone union. At 90 days the bending moment and rigidity of the instable osteotomies were regained as compared to the intact right femurs. The stable osteotomies were only 67% as strong as the intact bones (P < 0.01). The bending rigidity of the stable osteotomies was equal to that of the intact bones during the experimental period. It is concluded that instability at the fracture site is conducive to fast healing.
Zusammenfassung
Bei zwei Gruppen Ratten wurde eine partielle Ouerosteotomie in der Mitte des Femurschaftes durchgeführt. Die Osteotomie wurde nach der Operation bei der einen Gruppe manuell gebrochen. Der Heilungsprozeß der Osteotomien wurde am 15., 30., 60., und 90. Tage nach der Operation ausgewertet. Die instabilen Frakturen heilten unter externer Kallusbildung im Gegensatz zu den stabilen, die unter sogenannter primärer Knochenheilung ausheilten. Am 90. Tag hatten die instabilen Osteotomien das Biegemoment und die Elastizität der intakten Femora der anderen Seite erlangt. Bei den stabilen Osteotomien hatten wir nur 67% der Stärke der intakten Knochen gefunden, während der Dauer des Experimentes war jedoch die Elastizität der stabilen Osteotomien gleich der den intakten Knochen. Es wird daraus geschlossen daß ein gewisses Maß an Instabilität an der Frakturseite erwünscht ist um eine schnelle Heilung zu erzielen.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersson L D (1965) Compression plate fixation and the effect of different types of internal fixation on fracture healing. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 47:191–199
Brown S A, Mayor M B (1980) Intramedullary nailing with metal and plastics. In: Uhthoff H K, Stahl E (eds) Current concepts of internal fication of fractures. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 423–428
Burnley F, Bourgois R, Dankerwolcke M (1980) The elastic fixation of fractures. In: Uhthoff H, Stahl E (eds) Current concepts of internal fixation of fractures. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 430–442
Engesxther L B, Ekeland A, Langeland N (1978) Methods for testing the mechanical properties of the rat femur. Acta Orthop Scand 49:512–518
Ham A, Harris W R (1971) Repair and transplantation of bone. In: Baurne G H (ed) The biochemistry and physiology of bone, vol 3, 2nd edn. Academic Press, New York, pp 337–399
Hutzschenreuter P, Perren S M, Steinemann S, Geret V, Klebl M (1969) Some effects of rigidity of internal fixation on the healing pattern of osteotomies. Injury 1:77–81
Jäger M, Gordes W, Kossyk W, Ungethüm M (1979) Bruchfestigkeitsuntersuchungen bei konservativ und operativ behandelten Osteotomien der Kaninchen Tibia. Unfallheilkunde 79:193–201
Küntscher G (1950) Die Marknagelung. Sänger, Berlin
Mindell E R, Robard S, Kwarman B G (1971) Chondrogenesis in bone repair. A study of the healing fracture callus in the rat. Clin Orthop 79:187–196
Mölster A, Gjerdet N R, Raugstad T S, Hvidsten K, Alho A, Bang G (1982) The effect of instability on experimental fracture healing. Acta Orthop Scand 53:521–526
Olerud S, Danckwardt-Lillieström G (1971) Fracture healing in compression osteosynthesis. An experimental study in dogs with an avascular, diaphyseal, intermediate fragment. Acta Orthop Scand [Suppl] 137
Paavolainen P, SlLätis P, Karaharjn E, Holmström T (1979) The healing of experimental fractures by compression osteosynthesis. Acta Orthop Scand 50:369–374
Perren S M (1979) Physical and biological aspects of fracture healing with special reference to internal fixation. Clin Orthop 138:195–196
Rand J A, Nan An K, Chao E Y S, Kelly P J (1981) A comparison of the effect of open intramedullary nailing and compression-plate fixation on fracture-site blood flow and fracture union. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 63:427–442
Rokkanen P, Slätis P (1964) The repair of experimental fractures during long-term anticoagulant treatment. Acta Orthop Scand 35:21–28
Schenk R, Willenegger H (1964) Zur Histologie der primären Knochenheilung. Langenbecks Arch Chir 308:440–452
Sedel L, Christel P, Dewas J, de Charentenay F Y, Leray J (1980) Comparison of the effects of intramedullary nailing or plating on the mechanical properties of fracture callus. J Biomed Eng 2:89–92
Slätis P, Rokkanen P (1965) The normal repair of experimental fractures. A histo-quantitative study of rats. Acta Orthop Scand 36:221–229
Terjesen T, Benum P (1983) Mechanical effects of metal plate fixation. Acta Orthop Scand 54:256–262
Uhthoff H K, Dubuc F L (1971) Bone structure changes in the dog under rigid internal fixation. Clin Orthop 81:165–170
Wang G J, Dunstan J C, Regers S I, Hubbard S, Dillich J, Stamp W G (1981) Experimental femoral fracture immobilised by rigid and flexible rods (a rabbit model). Clin Orthop 154:286–290
Willenegger H, Perren S M, Schenk R (1971) Primäre und sekundäre Knochenbruchheilung. Chirurg 42:241–252
Yamagishi M, Yoshinura Y (1955) Biomechanics of fracture healing. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 37:1035–1042
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reikerâs, O., Reigstad, A. Healing of stable and unstable osteotomies in rats. Arch. Orth. Traum. Surg. 104, 161–163 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454693
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00454693