Experiment study on fracture fixation with low rigidity titanium alloy: plate fixation of tibia fracture model in rabbit.

ABSTRACT

In order to investigate bone tissue reaction to the low rigidity titanium alloy of TNTZ in bone plate fixation, animal experiment with rabbit was performed with X-ray follow-up and histological observation. Experimental fractures were made in rabbit tibiae, and fixed by different bone plates of SUS316L, Ti-6Al-4V and TNTZ. Although there was no significant difference in fracture healing, bone atrophy was observed in cortical bone especially under the bone plate, which was different in time course among three materials. The bone atrophy under the bone plate was confirmed as porous or poor bone tissue in histological observation. In addition, the diameter of the tibia bone was increased in TNTZ as the result of bone remodeling with a new cortical bone. It is confirmed that the elastic modulus of the bone plate will naturally influence bone tissue reaction to the bone plate fixation according to the Wolff's law of functional restoration.