Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Table of Contents

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 1997; 10(01): 16-22
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1632563

Original Research

Schattauer GmbH

Effect of Low Compression on the Growth Plate. An Experimental Study in Sheep

E. Asimus

¹From the Département des Sciences Cliniques, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

P. Collard

¹From the Département des Sciences Cliniques, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

J. Sales de Gauzy

²Service d’Orthopédie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

D. Mathon

¹From the Département des Sciences Cliniques, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

R. Darmana

³INSERM U 305, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

J.-Ph. Cahuzac

²Service d’Orthopédie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Purpan, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

,

A. Autefage

¹From the Département des Sciences Cliniques, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Toulouse, France

⁴Laboratoire du Tissu Osseux et des Pathologies Ostéoarticulaires, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

› Author Affiliations

Summary

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of compression on the growth plate. An external fixation device was applied across the distal radial physis in 24 eight-week-old lambs. Compression was applied continuously for seven weeks. A shamoperation was performed on the contralateral side. The animals were divided into two groups according to the rate of compression. In group #1, the mean pressure exerted by the compression device ranged from 0.03 ± 0.01 kg/cm² to 0.05 ± 0.01 kg/cm². In group #2, the mean pressure ranged from 0.08 ± 0.01 kg/cm² to 0.16 ± 0.01 kg/cm². The results obtained show that this pressure did not modify the longitudinal growth of the bone. A statistical difference was not noted between the operated side and the control side in any of the groups. We conclude that mild physeal compression (less than 0.16 kg/cm²) in the immature sheep would neither retard nor accelerate the growth of the distal radial epiphyseal plate.

An external fixation device was applied to the distal radial growth plate in immature sheep. Compression was performed continuously for seven weeks. The authors conclude that mild physeal compression (between 0.03 and 0.16 kg/cm²) neither diminished nor increased the growth.

Keywords

Keywords

Growth plate - biomechanics - growth regulation - sheep

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