Abstract
Previous animal models of fracture repair have been shown to be reproducible but are often time-inefficient. We present a minimally invasive percutaneous technique for retrograde insertion of intramedullary pins in a model of rat femoral fracture healing. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: no fracture (n = 6), no fracture but pinned (n = 6), and fractured and pinned (n = 24). The pins were inserted in a percutaneous manner under fluoroscopic control. No incisions were made. All animals tolerated the procedure well and were using the operated leg within hours after the surgery. The mean time for the pinning procedure was 2.3 min (standard deviation 1.1 min). The mean fluoroscopic time for the first 15 procedures was 10 s (standard deviation 4.5 s). The mean fluoroscopic time for the last 15 procedures was 4.2 s (standard deviation 1.2 s). No patellar tendon ruptures or bleeding complications were seen in the postoperative period. The course of fracture healing was not altered by this new percutaneous technique of pin insertion.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 19 April 2000
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bhandari, M., Shaughnessy, S. A minimally invasive percutaneous technique of intramedullary nail insertion in an animal model of fracture healing. Arch Orth Traum Surg 121, 591–593 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004020100273
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004020100273