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Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Use of Human Perivascular Stem Cells for Bone Regeneration
Published on: May 25, 2012
Fibula regeneration following non-vascularized graft harvest in children
Anil Agarwal1,2, Anubrat Kumar3
1Department of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Geeta Colony, Delhi, 110031, India. rachna_anila@yahoo.co.in.
Background:
A peculiarity of non-vascularized fibular harvest is that the donor site regenerates new bone provided periosteum is preserved. We prospectively investigated the regenerated fibula quantitatively and studied clinical implications of non-regeneration.
Material And Methods:
The fibula was harvested using a periosteum preserving technique. Only fibulae from healthy legs were harvested. X-rays were done pre- and post-operatively at three and six months. Clinical assessment of donor limb included pain, gait, motor and sensory examination. Fibular regeneration was quantified using defined length and width criteria.
Results:
There were 16 children with 21 harvested fibula. About 65 % of total fibular length was available for use as graft. There was regeneration of fibula similar to the pre-operative dimensions as early as six months in 71 % of cases. There were no clinical morbid findings as assessed at six months follow up despite non-continuity being observed in 29 % of cases. The predominant site for non-continuity was middle third-distal third junction.
Conclusions:
Periosteal preserving non-vascularized fibula grafting was a low morbidity procedure. In two-third of the cases, there was regeneration of fibula comparable to pre-operative dimensions as early as six months. The non-continuous regeneration had no clinical implications.
