Sixteen goats with fractures of right femur received cortical bone plates allografts on both the sides of femurs. The right allograft strut endured the stimulation of physiological stress, and the left allograft strut did not. Groups of goats were sacrificed and specimens were procured at 3, 6, 12, and 24 week after surgery for histology observation and image analysis of the vessels after Chinese ink perfusion, the rate of bone porosity, the integrated optical density (IOD) of tetracycline fluorescence labeling and new bone formation were investigated in order to evaluate the incorporation of the allograft strut. The allograft strut revascularized at 6 weeks after surgery in the fracture group, but at 3 weeks in the control group. The rate of area of vessels after Chinese ink perfusion, the rate of bone porosity, the integrated optical density (IOD) of tetracycline fluorescence labeling and new bone formation in the fracture group were worse than control from 3 weeks to 6 weeks, but the observed and measured values were better in the fracture group than in the control group beyond 6 weeks after surgery (P < 0.05). The stimulation of stress would be harmful to the allograft strut if the strut endured the stress at an earlier period postoperation. Yet, it would be beneficial to the revascularization, new bone formation, substitution, and internal re-building on the strut provided that the extremity was immobilized for 6 weeks; and if the cortical graft endured the stimulation of physiological stress from 6 weeks postoperation till cancellous conjunction between the ends of fractures, the revascularization on the allograft strut and the bone conjunction between partially allograft strut and host would be faciliated.
Allografts Animals