Effect of instability of experimental fracture healing

Bilateral tibial osteotomy with fracturing of the fibula was performed on ten Wistar rats weighing 300--350 g. Intramedullary nailing was performed with 1.4 mm nails after reaming. On the left side solid stainless rods were used, while on the right side the nails had a middle part made of titanium-nickel wire covered with polyvinylchloride (PVC), giving the nail a high degree of flexibility. After 8 weeks, nine of the ten flexible nails showed fracture of the central wire. The continuity was, however, maintained by the PVC tube. The bones with flexible nailing always showed hypertrophic callus while there was only scanty callus on the side with rigid nailing. Strength, deformation at fracture and stiffness were measured in a three-point bending test after removal of the solid nails and the fibulae. The strength of the tibiae was greatest on the side with flexible nailing, as was the deformation at fracture. The mean stiffness was higher in the bones with rigid nails, but the difference here was not statistically discernible.