The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 67, Issue 4 598-605, Copyright © 1985 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
External skeletal fixation of canine tibial osteotomies. Compression compared with no compression
MB Hart, JJ Wu, EY Chao and PJ Kelly
In this study we compared the effects of compression on the maturity and
pattern of osseous healing in canine tibial osteotomies that were fixed
with an external fixation system at a single time-period, ninety days after
osteotomy. The in vitro model demonstrated that compression increased
rigidity of fixation. Relative to the rigidity of the intact tibia, this
increase was small. Estimation of osteotomy-site bone blood flow at ninety
days by 85Sr clearance and torsional testing to failure of the healed
osteotomies were used to compare the maturity of bone union in each group.
The pattern of healing of the osteotomy was evaluated by quantitative
histological determination of new-bone formation and porosity. All of the
osteotomies healed by the ninetieth day. We found no significant difference
at that time in osteotomy-site bone blood flow or strength of healing of
the osteotomy, although the compression-treated osteotomies healed with
higher torsional stiffness. No differences were demonstrated between the
two groups in the pattern of healing of the osteotomy. In both groups there
was a significantly greater amount of periosteal new-bone formation in the
relatively less rigidly fixed antero-posterior plane when compared with the
mediolateral plane. Primary bone-healing of both the contact type and the
gap type was seen in both groups. There were no significant complications
and the pin-loosening rate was similar in both groups.
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