Can fracture healing be accelerated by serum transfer in head trauma cases? An experimental head trauma model in rats

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate whether thepositive union effect caused by head trauma could be transferredbetween individuals.Materials and methods: Seventy-two male rats with an averageweight of 375 g were used in this study and divided into fourgroups including 18 in each group. Group 1 consisted of serumdonor rats that were exposed to head trauma, while Group 2consisted of study rats with long bone fractures that were giventhe serum obtained from the rats in Group 1, Group 3 includedcontrol rats with isolated long bone fractures, and Group 4 includedcontrol rats with both head trauma and long bone fractures. Forradiological evaluation, the ratio of the width of the callus to thewidth of the neighboring diaphysis was considered as the callus-todiaphyseal ratio in the study and control groups. Histopathologicaland radiological evaluations was made on Days 10, 20, and 30.Results: In evaluation of the radiological data regarding the callusto-diaphyseal ratio, Group 3 was found to have significantly lowerradiological values than Group 4 on Day 10 (p=0.006). Group 2had significantly higher values than Group 3 (p=0.02). On Day20, Group 2 exhibited significantly higher radiological values thanGroup 3 (p=0.004), but lower than Group 4 (p=0.032). As for Day30, Group 2 exhibited significantly higher radiological values thanGroup 3, but lower than Group 4 (p=0.001). In the evaluation of theHuo scores obtained for histopathological evaluation, there was nosignificant difference among the groups on Days 10, 20, and 30(p=0.295, p=0.569, and p=0.729, respectively).Conclusion: Our study results suggest that the osteoinductiveeffect after head trauma can be transmitted between individuals bymeans of serum transfer.