In vivo study of human mandibular distraction osteogenesis. Part I: bone transport force determination

Distraction Osteogenesis (DO) is a surgical technique used to reconstruct bone defects. The evolution of forces acting during DO is known to be strongly influencing the clinical issue of the treatment. The aim of this study was to determine experimentally the time-dependent forces imposed on bone regenerate by a distraction device in the case of a mandibular DO consecutive to a gunshot wound. To evaluate the bone transport forces, some fixing pins of the distraction device were equipped with strain gauges. Measurements were done during the first weeks of the treatment. An equilibrium analysis was achieved to determine the forces acting in bone regenerate from strains in the pins. Those quantities evolved during the records approximately from 5 N to 3-4 N and 2 N to 0-0.3 N for the tension and shear forces, respectively, depending on the record duration. For the longest record, the callus lengthening reached 0.17 mm during 75 minutes. This decrease of force and simultaneous callus extension can be attributed to the viscosity of regenerate and the elastic energy release of the device. Essential data were obtained concerning forces, extension and their evolution during mandibular DO. The low force level obtained was attributed to the absence of resistance of the soft tissues in the case of ballistic trauma restoration.