Research article

Histomorphometric evaluation of bone healing in rabbit fibular osteotomy model without fixation

Marcos A Matos , Francisco P Araújo and Fabio B Paixão

Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaedics, Bahia School of Medicine and Public Health, 275 D. João VI Ave., Salvador-Bahia, Brazil

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research 2008, 3:4doi:10.1186/1749-799X-3-4

Published:	29 January 2008

Abstract

Background

Animal models of fracture consolidation are fundamental for the understanding of the biological process of bone repair in humans, but histological studies are rare and provide only qualitative results. The objective of this article is to present the histomorphometric study of the bone healing process using an experimental model of osteotomy in rabbit fibula without interference of synthesis material.

Methods

Fifteen rabbits were submitted to fibular osteotomy without any fixation device. Groups of five animals were submitted to pharmacological euthanasia during a period of one (group A), two (group B) and four weeks (group C) after osteotomy. Histomorphometric evaluation was performed in the histological sections.

Results

During week one there was intense cellularity (67/field), a large amount of woven bone (75.7%) and a small amount of lamellar bone (7.65%). At two weeks there was a decrease in woven bone (41.59%) and an increase in lamellar bone (15.16%). At four weeks there was a decrease of cellularity (19.17/field) and lamellar bone (55.56%) exceeded the quantity of woven bone (31.68%).

Conclusion

Histomorphometric (quantitative) evaluation of the present study was shown to be compatible with bone healing achieved in qualitative experimental models that have been commended in the literature.