Table 1.

Total callus area and percentages of bone, cartilage, and fibrous connective tissue composing callus tissue after 5 weeks of fixation

Region/parameter	S group	F group	D1 group	D3 group	D4 group
Total callus
Total area (mm2)	11.4 ± 1.0	12.2 ± 1.4	13.8 ± 1.5	10.1 ± 2.2	10.3 ± 1.5
Periosteal callus (%)	45.3 ± 10.5	52.7 ± 10.2	55.0 ± 7.1	33.9 ± 14.4	35.0 ± 15.3
Intracortical callus (%)	20.7 ± 6.0	21.5 ± 3.9	19.0 ± 7.4	19.9 ± 4.3	23.8 ± 6.3
Endosteal callus (%)	34.0 ± 9.3	25.8 ± 10.7	26.0 ± 4.4	46.2 ± 14.5	41.2 ± 15.3
Bone area (%)	40.2 ± 5.6	35.4 ± 10.3	24.1 ± 7.8	31.9 ± 6.3	30.9 ± 12.9
Fibrous connective tissue area (%)	42.4 ± 9.9	32.7 ± 7.7	34.3 ± 12.7	58.5 ± 12.2	59.0 ± 18.4
Cartilage area (%)	17.4 ± 8.1	31.9 ± 16.2	41.7 ± 19.0	9.7 ± 9.3	10.1 ± 6.8
Periosteal callus
Bone area (%)	46.3 ± 5.1	36.7 ± 8.6	26.9 ± 9.8	56.1 ± 17.7	48.9 ± 10.7
Fibrous connective tissue area (%)	34.2 ± 7.0	31.3 ± 6.8	31.5 ± 8.9	31.2 ± 13.7	38.6 ± 12.4
Cartilage area (%)	19.5 ± 8.2	32.0 ± 12.9	41.6 ± 16.4	12.7 ± 9.0	12.5 ± 7.2
Intracortical callus
Bone area (%)	41.0 ± 7.2	34.5 ± 15.3	17.3 ± 9.0	43.2 ± 16.3	33.7 ± 12.8
Fibrous connective tissue area (%)	37.3 ± 14.3	28.3 ± 13.6	37.4 ± 17.5	42.4 ± 11.4	53.7 ± 14.4
Cartilage area (%)	21.7 ± 13.3	37.2 ± 23.5	45.3 ± 23.9	14.4 ± 12.3	12.6 ± 8.9
Endosteal callus
Bone area (%)	31.7 ± 8.8	31.9 ± 16.7	24.5 ± 13.4	13.7 ± 8.6	20.3 ± 21.7
Fibrous connective tissue area (%)	55.7 ± 13.3	38.9 ± 14.5	36.9 ± 19.9	80.3 ± 17.8	71.5 ± 28.6
Cartilage area (%)	12.6 ± 9.0	29.2 ± 24.4	38.6 ± 26.0	6.0 ± 10.4	8.2 ± 8.0

Values are expressed as mean ± SD; S group = continuously stiff fixation; F group = flexible fixation; D1 group = dynamization at 1 week; D3 group = dynamization at 3 weeks; D4 group = dynamization at 4 weeks.