Benefits of Ilizarov automated bone distraction for nerves and articular cartilage in experimental leg lengthening

Table 8 Content of sulfur and calcium in articular cartilage (mean ± SD, weight %)

Parameters/group and t-points	ωS	ωCa
Intact control	1.26 ± 0.02	0.15 ± 0.02
M-group - manual distraction (1 mm/d in 4 steps)
28 d of distraction	0.71 ± 0.01a	0.19 ± 0.02a
30 d of fixation	0.96 ± 0.02a	0.39 ± 0.03a
30 d without apparatus	0.94 ± 0.02a	0.27 ± 0.02a
A-group - automatic distraction (1 mm/d in 60 steps)
28 d of distraction	0.79 ± 0.01a	0.16 ± 0.01c
30 d of fixation	1.09 ± 0.02ac	0.18 ± 0.02c
30 d without apparatus	1.15 ± 0.02c	0.20 ± 0.02ac

^aP < 0.05 vs intact;

^cP < 0.05 vs group M.