Effects of erythropoietin on fracture healing in rats.

Fracture healing and the factors affecting it has always attracted researchers’ curiosity. Fracture healing is a complex process, local (mechanical, physical, chemical, environmental), and systemic (hormonal factors, vitamins, drugs, systemic growth factors, diseases) factors all play a part at each stage. Although the histopathological process of fracture healing is now almost completely understood, the effects of most of the factors on the fracturehealing event have not yet been absolutely verified. Erythropoietin (EPO) is the primary hormonal stimulant of red blood cells production. It is thought that EPO used in the treatment of anemia requiring symptomatic treatment, and transfusion associated with kidney failure, and that used to prevent anemia in cases receiving chemotherapy may enhance the fracture healing. From our literature search, no review was found on the effects of EPO on fracture healing in rats. We now aim to discuss the effect of EPO on fracture healing. Twenty female, healthy Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing between 250-300 g, were used. The study protocol was performed in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and was reviewed and accepted by the institutional animal care and usage committee. The right limbs were shaved and cleaned by Betadine solution. The right tibia of each rat was exposed via an antero-medial skin incision under ketamine hydrochloride anesthesia. Following the skin incision the midshaft of the tibia was reached by blunt dissection. The shaft was then osteotomized transversally by a Gigli saw taking care to cause minimal soft tissue injury at the fracture