Effects of repeated stripping of tibial periosteum on longitudinal growth of long bone in the rat
Song, D.H.; Woo, Y.K.
Journal of Catholic Medical College 45(1): 161-173
1992
Accession: 007283625
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the beneficial effect of tibial periosteal stripping on longitudinal bone growth in the long bone can be modified by two or three times of operations. Thirty-nine 4-week-old female Wistar rats were used in this study. They were divided into 3 groups; there were 13 rats in each group. In group 1, only one time of periosteal stripping operation was performed on the right tibia from proximal metaphysio-diaphyseal junction to the distal one, but the left tibia which had a skin incision without periosteal stripping was used as a control. In group 2, two times of periosteal stripping operations were performed. The second stripping was done 2 weeks after initial stripping. In group 3, three times of periosteal stripping were performed. The third operation was done 2 weeks after the second one. Then the serial roentgenograms were taken immediately and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after first operation. The length of each tibia and femur on the roentgenograms was measured from the proximal to the distal epiphyseal plate of tibia and tip of greater trochanter of femur to the distal epiphyseal plate with Vernier calliper. And the histologic findings of periosteum and epiphyseal plate at 3, 6 and 8 weeks after the last periosteal stripping were also observed in each group. The results were as follows: 1. periosteal stripping of the tibia caused a statistically significant increase in longitudinal growth of the femur as well as tibia on the stripped side as compared with the unstripped side. 2. Three times of repeated periosteal stripping of the tibia produced a statistically significant increase in longitudinal growth of the tibia than a single stripping operation. 3. The length difference of the femure between experimental and control group was increased progressively until 8 weeks post periosteal stripping, but this difference showed no further increase from 8 to 12 weeks observation. 4. In all experimental groups, the periosteum of the tibia was very much thickened at 3 weeks after the last periosteal stripping, and this thickening was remained until 6 weeks, but it became thinner and normalized at 8 weeks observation. New bone formation under the stripped periosteum was observed in all samples. No significant histological change of epiphyseal plate was observed in all groups.