Metaphyseal aspects of stapling. An experimental study in pigs.

Blount stapling of the growth plate induced changes in the metaphyseal architecture, which progressed in correlation to the postoperative follow-up. The stereological investigations revealed a subtile reaction of the medial stapled tibial plate in a total of 37 domestic pigs (10 weeks old) during the postoperative follow-up (up to 17 weeks). Zone 1, 380-1120 microns distal to the plate representing "bone modelling", and zone 2, 1180-2360 microns distally representing "bone remodelling", were investigated separately. The findings in zone 2 were very similar to zone 1 but were less extensive. The parameter most sensitive to stapling was the surface density; the trabecular distance showed parallel but less impressive findings. The specific surface and trabecular diameter changed with some delay. The last parameter to change was the volume density.