A long-term study was carried out for evaluating 316L stainless steel plates with different types of finish used in the repair of experimetnal radial and ulnar dyaphisial fractures in dogs and the possible interference of this reaction in bone consolidation. Semi-finished, polished, blasted with glass microbeads and passivated plates were applied to the distal epiphysis of the radius of anesthetized dogs. Twelve animals were divided into two groups, GI (six dogs) and GII (six dogs), which underwent osteosynthesis (OS) in both bones, after bilateral radial and ulnar osteotomy, totaling 24 procedures. The clinical and radiographic evolution of the regions that received the implant was studied at 30, 60, 90, 180, 240 and 360 days after OS. The animals from GI were killed at 180 days and those from GII at 360 days for histopathological analysis of the bones at the implant region (optical and electronic-scanning microscopy) and to study corrosion on the metallic implants, through chemical and metallographic analysis (optical and eletronic-scanning microscopy and scattered-energy spectroscopy). Limb function was recovered 24h after surgery. Upon X-ray examination, bone consolidation was observed in all animals. Both in macroscopic and microscopically, no signs of metallic corrosion were observed, except for one passivated plate implanted in one animal of GII, in which the phenomenon was observed through optical and electronic-scanning microscopy. This study allows to conclude that 316L stainless steel plates, regardless of the surface treatment, did not undergo corrosion or adverse reactions and were effective in the treatment of experimental radial and ulnar fractures in dogs.
Dog; fracture; stainless steel plate 316 L