The purpose of this work was to evaluate Lithothamnium calcareum suplementation in the consolidation of experimental osteotomy in rabbits, through radiographic and histology examinations. Ten male New Zealand white rabbits, 4-5 months of age with an average body mass of 2.5kg, had surgically induced mid-tibial osteotomies, fixed with two intramedullary pins. The animals were randomly divided into two experimental groups (A and B). Group A received a diet containing 0.75% of L. calcareum, and group B served as control without further treatment of the osteotomy fixation. Radiographs were done every 15 days until the end of the experiment and histology was performed at day 60. Radiographs show consolidation in all cases. Histologically there was bone consolidation in all animals in group B (control), and 75% in group A. From the results we can conclude that, although there was clinical and radiographic bone consolidation in all cases after 60 days, the control group proved to be better histologically, showing that a healthy organism needs no aid to repair bone. Further research should be conducted to assess the effects of mineral supplementation on animals with nutritional deficiencies.
rabbit; Lithothamnium calcareum; osteotomy
