Comparison of the effects of different osteotomy methods on bone healing; an experimental study

Bone healing after osteotomy remains a major issue in orthopedics. This study aimed to evaluate the radiological, histopathological, and biomechanical aspects of bone healing using three different osteotomy techniques. Fifty four Wistar Albino male rats were used. The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups as gigli (n:18), saw (n:18) and drill+osteotome (n:18). Transverse osteotomy was applied to the left femur with the gigli wire, microsaw and drill+osteotome. All femurs were evaluated radiologically, biomechanically and histopathologically at the end of the 15th, 30th and 45th days. No significant differences in mean radiological and histological scores were observed among the gigli, saw, and drill+osteotome groups at most time points, except for a difference in radiological scores on day 30. The drill+osteotome group demonstrated more advanced callus formation, whereas the gigli group more often showed minimal or no callus. Biomechanical scores were lower in the gigli group on day 30, while no difference was observed between the saw and drill+osteotome groups. In the present study, the drill combined with an osteotome demonstrated superior biomechanical and radiological outcomes during the early phase of bone healing. However, in the later stages, all three osteotomy techniques exhibited comparable healing characteristics, suggesting that the initial advantage of the drill-assisted method may diminish over time.