Delayed distraction in bone lengthening. Improved healing in lambs
Gil-Albarova, J.; de Pablos, J.; Franzeb, M.; Cañadell, J.
Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica 63(6): 604-606
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6470 PMID: 1471504 Document Number: 400647
We compared delayed distraction (DD) with immediate distraction (ID) in bone-lengthening. Open femoral diaphyseal osteotomy was performed on 24 three-month-old lambs, and external distractor fixators were applied. In the ID group (n 12), distraction commenced on the first postoperative day; in the DD group (n 12), distraction was delayed until the tenth day after surgery. In all the animals, the femur was lengthened by 2 cm at the rate of 1 mm/day. The animals were killed 1, 2, and 3 months postoperatively. Radiography and densitometry of the lengthened callus showed that DD, compared with ID, improved the quality of the callus with quicker, denser, and more homogeneous bone formation.