Wire-induced osteogenesis in marrow.

Although it has been reported, in observations connected to electrically stimulated bone repair, that intramedullary electrodes not attached to any electrical source can also induce osteogenesis, there has been only one systematic attempt to study this effect per se. We have extended these studies, implanting selected metal and plastic wires longitudinally into the medullary diaphyses of rat femora. Atomic absorption analysis was used for the first time in analyzing for medullary calcium. This technique and the histologic evaluation clearly indicate that osteogenesis occurs within 2 weeks after this wire implantation. Osteogenesis was not observed when the wire was immediately removed after the original trauma of wire insertion.