Measurement of serum angiogenic factor in devascularized experimental tibial fractures

Early recovery of the vasculature is of profound importance in healing fractures, but the exact role of the regenerating endothelium remains controversial. Serum activity of endothelial cell-stimulating angiogenesis factor (ESAF) was measured after tibial osteotomy in two groups of sheep over a period of 42 days. Each osteotomy was held in an instrumented external fixator, and in one group the musculoperiosteal vasculature was excluded from the osteotomy site. In the well-vascularized group (n = 4), ESAF activity was significantly higher 2-5 days after osteotomy, with a peak at 4 days (21.1 +/- 5.4, p < 0.05), and displayed a biphasic pattern of secretion with a second peak at 7 days (24.3 +/- 5.5). In the devascularized group (n = 4) overall activity was lower, with only a single peak occurring at 9 days (17.5 +/- 3.2). These findings were correlated with significant differences in structural properties and on histological examination. The early detection of such regional vascular responses may prove to be of significant clinical value in high-energy trauma, enabling prediction of those fractures at risk of delayed or nonunion.