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Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics
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The effect of biopsy-hole shape and size on bone strength


Clark-CR; Morgan-C; Sonstegard-DA; Matthews-LS J-Bone-Joint-Surg-Am. 1977 Mar; 59(2): 213-7 Investigation in cadaver femora of the relationship between the shape or size of a hole made in the cortex and the breaking strength of the bone revealed that of the shapes studied, an oblong hole with rounded ends afforded the greatest residual strength. Furthermore, we found that increasing the width of the hole caused a significant reduction in strength, while increasing the length did not.



Original Text by Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD.