JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Bone fractures are common conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Several animal models of bone fractures have been established to help elucidate the complex process of bone healing. In the last decades, drill-hole bone defects have emerged as a method to study bone healing. Animal models of drill-hole defects are easy to standardize and do not require external fixation of the bone. However, current studies of drill-hole bone defects lack detailed descriptions of techniques and interstudy standardisation.

Objective:

This systematic review aims to present a detailed description of the different methods used to induce drill-hole bone defects in long bones of laboratory animals and to give a comprehensive overview of their methodology and potential for investigation of bone healing.

Methods:

A systematic search of PubMed and Embase will be performed of abstracts containing variations of the following four keywords: long bone, drill-hole, regeneration, and animal model. Abstract screening and full-text screening will be performed independently by two reviewers, and data will be extracted to a pre-designed extraction protocol. The primary outcome of the included studies is the technique used to create the drill-hole bone defect, and secondary outcomes are any measurements or analysis of bone defect and regeneration. A narrative synthesis will be used to present the primary outcome, while information on secondary outcomes will be displayed graphically. The study protocol follows the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P).

Results:

Abstract- and full-text screening is ongoing and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Data extraction will commence immediately after, and the manuscript is expected to be completed by December 2023. The systematic review will follow the PRISMA statement.

Conclusions:

The strength of the present systematic review is that it gives a comprehensive methodological overview of the different drill-hole methods and their advantages and disadvantages. This will assist researchers in choosing which model to employ when studying different aspects of bone healing. Clinical Trial: Prospero-ID: CRD42020213076.