Changes of procollagen type III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) concentrations during healing of mandible fractures treated with biodegradable and titanium fixations.

PURPOSE The aims of the study were to evaluate procollagen type III N-terminal propeptide (PIIINP) concentrations in blood serum of males in the course of normal healing of mandible fractures, and to determine the correlations between kinetic changes of PIIINP, stages of fracture healing and the applied treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected blood serum samples from 43 male patients aged between 20 and 30 years, treated for mandible fractures. The patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the type of osteosynthesis used for immobilization of the fragments. Group I (n=10) consisted of patients whose reduced bone fragments were fixed with biodegradable fixations, while group II (n=33) included patients with titanium osteosynthesis devices. The control group (n=25) consisted of healthy males at the same age. PIIINP concentrations were determined with the radioimmunological method (RIA). RESULTS We found a significant increase in PIIINP concentrations in both study groups (I and II) at defined stages of mandible fracture healing. Differences were noticed in the dynamics of the increase depending on the type of applied osteosynthesis devices. CONCLUSION The results point to the fact that the injury and/or mandible fracture increase the collagen type III metabolism and its dynamics depends on the type of the used bone fixation.