We studied the behavior of the distal femoral and proximal tibial physes
after whole knee-joint replantation in skeletally immature New Zealand
White Rabbits. We developed an operative model in which a rabbit's knee was
isolated on a vascular pedicle and was then replanted using microvascular
technique. In a short-term study (three weeks or less) of ten rabbits, the
patency of the vascular repairs and the resumption of metabolic activity of
the cells in the growth plates were assessed. A long-term study (ninety
days) of eight rabbits was designed to monitor growth after replantation.
The results indicated that in rabbits, the femoral and tibial growth plates
could be removed and returned to place during whole-joint replantation. If
the blood supply was successfully re-established, metabolic function of the
cells in the physes remained normal during the early postoperative period,
and at ninety days (near the time of skeletal maturity) bone growth in the
limb that was operated on was about equal to that of the opposite limb
which was not operated on.