Ouzounian T J, Kabo J M, Grogan T J, Dorey F, Meals R A
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1986 Sep(210):252-6.
Long bone fractures frequently cause limb swelling and joint stiffness, and the two effects are generally assumed to be related, an assumption long held but rarely tested. The authors investigated limb swelling and joint stiffness in rabbits with experimental 28-day healing fractures. Eleven control rabbits were treated with bilateral hind limb skeletal fixation and unilateral distal tibia fractures. Subsequent limb swelling occurred bilaterally, but it was significantly greater on the side fractured. All fractures healed. Ankles in both fractured and unfractured limbs became significantly stiffer, compared with preinjury values, but ankles in the fractured limbs became significantly stiffer than those in the unfractured control limbs. Air pressure of 10 mmHg above atmospheric pressure was applied for four days to newly fractured limbs in 11 additional rabbits. Pressurization reduced swelling but did not significantly affect ankle stiffness. In general, reduction in postfracture swelling by application of external pressure did not significantly affect adjacent joint stiffness.
长骨骨折常导致肢体肿胀和关节僵硬，一般认为这两种效应有关联，这一假设虽长期存在但鲜有验证。作者通过实验性28天愈合骨折的兔子来研究肢体肿胀和关节僵硬情况。11只对照兔接受双侧后肢骨骼固定及单侧胫骨远端骨折治疗。随后双侧肢体均出现肿胀，但骨折侧肿胀明显更严重。所有骨折均愈合。与伤前值相比，骨折和未骨折肢体的踝关节均显著变僵硬，但骨折肢体的踝关节比未骨折对照肢体的踝关节僵硬程度明显更高。另外11只兔子对新骨折肢体施加高于大气压10 mmHg的气压，持续4天。加压减轻了肿胀，但未显著影响踝关节僵硬程度。总体而言，通过施加外部压力减轻骨折后肿胀并未显著影响相邻关节的僵硬程度。
