Me: The researchers in this study wanted to see what would be the effect on periosteal division if the growth plates are either distracted or compressed. Note that for 6 week old rabbits (still growing) which probably only weigh 2-3 kg with 1 kg of mass on both legs. This was done on the proximal tibial growth plate. What the researchers did was slice a piece of the periosteum layer off for about 1 cm on one half of the tibia. It seems that compression will inhibit the tibial growth and distraction enhance it, at least in the area where the compresion & distraction was done on. What is really strange is that the opposite effect is sense on the other end of the bone. As stated from the abstract “Periosteal division enhanced growth at the adjacent growth plate but inhibited it distally; the effect of distraction was enhanced and that of compression reduced.” remember that it is the proximal tibia we stripped on. What is important to note is that with these young, still growing rabbits, even small amounts of compression or distraction did affect bone growth. The periosteal division does seem to induce overgrowth by some type of mechanical effect but I am not sure how the process would even work. It is very interesting that the end of the abstract mention that this type of method of compressing and distraction certain areas of the long bones like the tibia can be using along with (or added as a side part) of certain types of limb lengthening but not epiphyseolysis (why can’t it be used for epiphyseolysis I don’t know why??)
From PubMed study link HERE…
The relationship between periosteal division and compression or distraction of the growth plate. An experimental study in the rabbit.
Source
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, England.
Abstract
We subjected the proximal tibial growth plates of six-week-old rabbits to either compression or distraction of 1 kg on both legs. On one side the proximal tibial periosteum was divided circumferentially and stripped for 1 cm. After six weeks, growth was measured at both proximal and distal growth plates. Compression inhibited total tibial growth and distraction enhanced it. The compressed growth plate grew less and the distracted growth plate grew more, but there was a reciprocal change at the other end of the bone. Periosteal division enhanced growth at the adjacent growth plate but inhibited it distally; the effect of distraction was enhanced and that of compression reduced. We found reciprocal growth rates at the proximal and distal growth plates. Relatively small amounts of compression or distraction did affect total bone growth. Periosteal division appeared to induce overgrowth at least partly by a mechanical effect; it may be useful as an adjunct to other methods of leg lengthening, though not to epiphyseolysis.
- PMID: 2312573 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
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