Biodegradable screw fixation of rabbit tibia proximal osteotomies

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a biodegradable poly(L-lactide) (P-L-LA) screw for osteosynthesis under a load-bearing condition. A proximal tibial osteotomy on 25 rabbits was fixed with a biodegradable screw made of P-L-LA. A follow-up study was done at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks. In another 25 rabbits, the tibial osteotomy was fixed with stainless steel (SUS) screws of the same size as the P-L-LA screws with a similar follow-up period. Radiographic, histological, microradiographic, and oxytetracycline-labeling studies showed healing of the osteotomy within 4 to 8 weeks. The displacement of fragments and the mass of newly formed bone around the screws were measured by histomorphometric analysis. There was no significant difference in the displacement of the fragments in these two groups and new bone was more abundantly detected in the P-L-LA group than in the SUS group. Histologically, no inflammatory lesion was detected in either group. All osteotomies united without delay and the displacement was minimal, although no external support was applied and the rabbits were allowed to move freely after the operation. The results of this study suggest a possible use for a P-L-LA screw in the clinical treatment of human bone fractures.