Fetal fracture healing in a lamb model.

A large animal model to assess fetal fracture repair and the ability to close excisional bony defects is presented. Incisional and excisional ulnar fractures were made in 14 midgestation fetal lambs, harvested at serial time points, and subjected to high-resolution low-kilovolt magnification radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging scans, and histologic analysis. Fetal fracture healing was characterized by early closure of excisional defects and rapid fracture healing with minimal or no soft-tissue inflammation or callus formation. Magnetic resonance imaging scans of the fractures revealed a characteristic pattern compatible with the histologic findings, namely, minimal inflammation in soft tissue adjacent to the fracture site. Histologic and magnification radiographic findings indicated that complete bony repair occurred within 21 days in incisional defects and within 40 days in excisional defects. In both cases, healed fetal bone resembled normal bone matrix. Excisional defects, including periosteum, of greater than three times the width of the bony cortex closed rapidly with virtually normal-appearing bony matrix and with minimal or no callus formation.

MR evaluation of calcium entry blockers with putative cerebroprotective effects in acute cerebral ischaemia.

MR imaging and spectroscopy were used to investigate whether two calcium channel entry-blockers, nicardipine and RS-87476 (Syntex), would reduce ischaemic brain damage in barbiturate-anaesthetized cats subjected to permanent unilateral occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The evolution of cerebral injury was assessed in vivo in a total of 38 cats using a combination of diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted spin-echo proton MR imaging and phosphorus 31 (P-31) and proton (H-1) MR spectroscopy for up to 12 h following arterial occlusion. Immediately thereafter, the volume of histochemically ischaemic brain tissue was determined planimetrically. In untreated control animals, diffusion-weighted MR images obtained with strong gradient strengths (5.5 gauss/cm) displayed increased signal intensity (oedema) in the ischaemic MCA territory less than 45 min after stroke. These changes were closely correlated with the appearance of abnormal P-31 and H-1 metabolite levels evaluated with surface coil MR spectroscopy. Cats injected with i.v. nicardipine (10 micrograms/kg bolus, 8 micrograms/kg/h maintenance) or RS-87476 (2-50 micrograms/kg bolus, 0.7-17.5 micrograms/kg/h maintenance) showed a significant reduction in ischaemic injury in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex, internal capsule and basal ganglia. The results of this study suggest that these calcium entry blockers protect against brain damage induced by acute stroke by stabilizing cellular metabolic processes, reducing lactate formation in ischaemic tissues, and attenuating cytotoxic and vasogenic oedema.