A Standard Closed Fracture in the Goat Tibia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a large animal closed tibial fracture model for basic and applied research of fracture healing. A newly designed hydraulic fracture device was used to produce standard closed tibial fractures in 9 living anaesthetised pigmy goats. This device was first tested on 38 goat cadaver tibia. All fractures were located in the middle third of the tibia without compromising the soft tissue at the fracture site and at the pressure support sites. The fractures were stabilised using an external cast for 8 weeks. In one goat a delayed skin perforation caused by insufficiently immobilised bone fragments occurred. All other fractures healed without complications. The mean angle of the fracture line with the axis of the tibia on lateral view was 78 ± 12 degrees (SD). The hydraulic fracture device can be used to produce a standard closed fracture in goat, sheep as well as dog tibia without compromising the soft tissue. This goat tibial fracture model is considered to be well suited for the study of closed fracture healing processes, as well as for the evaluation of various osteosynthesis materials and bone healing enhancing substrates.

Key words

long bones - large animal model - fracture healing

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