Oxidant status increased during fracture healing in rats

We evaluated oxidant status during bone healing in 50 rats. In 40 rats, the right tibia was fractured and fixed intramedullarlyy (study leg) and the l eft tibia was pinned but not fractured (control leg). Rats were killed on d ays 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined in tib ial bone tissue. The MDA levels of study and control legs were compared wit h basal MDA levels in bone in 10 rats. There was no apparent difference bet ween the basal level and control legs, but the study legs showed a statisti cally significant increase in MDA levels on days 7 and 14. We conclude that no oxidative stress injury occurs during the ischemic period of fracture h ealing, but it may be significant during inflammation and the formation of callus.