Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
A Mouse Distraction Osteogenesis Model
Published on: November 14, 2018
Distraction osteogenesis following low-dose hyperfractionated irradiation in the rat mandible
Sagar S Deshpande1, Laura A Monson, Christi M Cavaliere
1Craniofacial Research Laboratory, Section of Plastic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA. sdeshpa@umich.edu
Purpose:
The investigators hypothesized that low-dose hyperfractionated radiation would impair mandibular distraction osteogenesis (DO) in a murine mandibular model.
Materials And Methods:
Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent fractionated radiation (30 Gy) of the left mandible. After a 2-week recovery period, an external frame distractor was applied and gradual distraction of the mandible was performed. Tissue was harvested after a 28-day consolidation period. Gross, radiologic, and histologic evaluations were undertaken. Control animals underwent surgery for an identical time frame without preoperative radiation.
Results:
Animals subjected to preoperative radiation (n = 10) showed suboptimal bone formation, including bone atrophy, incomplete bridging of the distraction gap, and gross bony defects or nonunion, compared with controls (n = 10). Although physical lengthening was achieved, irradiation consistently led to a detrimental effect on the normal process of DO.
Conclusion:
This set of experiments establishes a valuable rodent model to evaluate the effects of radiation on DO and may help to formulate strategies to optimize DO before it is widely applied in oncologic reconstruction.
