The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 66, Issue 9 1421-1430, Copyright © 1984 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Free microvascular epiphyseal-plate transplantation. An experimental study in dogs
H Nettelblad, MA Randolph and AJ Weiland
To evaluate the feasibility of transplanting vascularized epiphyseal plates
while maintaining normal growth in the recipient site, twenty-two puppies
from known, large breeds were divided into one control and three
experimental groups of four animals each and one long-term group of six
animals. The control group underwent insertion of a radiopaque marker in
the fibular metaphysis bilaterally, and, in addition, a fibular osteotomy
was performed on one side. In the experimental groups, a fibular switch was
carried out, selecting one fibula as a vascularized graft and the other as
a non-vascularized graft. Both the controls and the experimental groups
were evaluated using serial roentgenograms, histological examination,
fluorescent bone-labeling, and microangiography. One week, six weeks, three
months, and seven months postoperatively, animals from each group were
killed. Continuous growth was observed in the vascularized epiphyseal
transplants and in the controls, with no statistical difference noted,
whereas the non-vascularized transplants exhibited considerably less or no
growth. Vascularized transplants demonstrated an average 21.2-millimeter
increase in length while non-vascularized transplants showed a
6.6-millimeter increase. Histological examination, fluorochrome
bone-labeling, and microangiography confirmed the continued viability of
the vascularized epiphyseal transplants in contrast to the non-vascularized
transplants.
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