Porosity of rat femora following intramedullary reaming and nailing
Husby, O.S.; Gjerdet, N.R.; Erichsen, E.S.; Rykkje, J.M.; Mølster, A.O.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 246: 305-312
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-921X PMID: 2766620 Document Number: 340653
The present study evaluated cortical porosity and thickness of intact rat femora 12 weeks after intramedullary reaming and nailing. The right femora were reamed and received either flexible polyacetal nails or rigid stainless steel nails. A third group was reamed but not nailed. The left femora were used as controls. The anterior cortical wall was analyzed at the mid-diaphyseal level. Neither reaming nor reaming combined with nailing influenced porosities with a diameter less than 10 microns. For larger pores, polyacetal nailing doubled the porosity, whereas steel nails increased porosity by a factor of 4.5. A slightly increased porosity was observed for the reamed group. Reduced cortical thickness was found in both nailed groups, whereas cortical thickness was increased in the reamed group compared with the control side. Implantation of rigid and flexible intramedullary nails in rat femora increased porosity along the anterior cortical wall.