Science
Fracture healing in humans is multi-factorial.
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The past 50 years have demonstrated that certain populations of human fractures heal better with motion.
However, the specifics of this concept remain largely unknown
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Research relevant to the AIM tibial nail:
1955: Yamaguchi and Yoshimura demonstrated that intermittent compressive forces increased bone healing (callus) in rabbits
1977: Augusto Sarmiento demonstrated increased qualitative and quantitative differences fracture healing after functional weight-bearing compared to nonweight-bearing in rats.
1991: Kenwright et al demonstrated more rapid fracture healing in human tibia fractures treated with external fixator frames that allowed axial micro motion as opposed to fixed frames that allowed no motion. The micro motion group healed in 23 weeks compared to 29 weeks in the rigidly fixed group.
2002: Ehrlich and Lanyon demonstrated that both osteocytes and osteoblasts are the mechanoresponsive element in bone. Upon loading bone, the hydrodynamic fluid pressure increases in the bony osteons and canaliculi with subsequent release of prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin I2, nitric oxide, insulin-like growth factors 1 and 11.
2016: Investigators demonstrated that fractures in sheep treated with plates that allow for motion (Active Locking Plates) healed faster and with stronger and more symmetric callus (bone) than standard locked plates.
2021: Satori publishes a biomechanical study of the AIM tibial nail in Journal of Orthopaedic Research:
Ziran N, McCarty CP, Ho NC, Gilmartin NF, Ebramzadeh E, Park SH, Sangiorgio SN. A Novel Intramedullary Nail to Control Interfragmentary Motion in Diaphyseal Tibial Fractures. J Orthop Res. 2021 Jul 12. doi: 10.1002/jor.25134
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The AIM tibial nailing system is the logical next step in intramedullary nailing technology