Abstract: BACKGROUND: Osteomyelitis remains a challenge for clinical orthopedic surgeons to address until now, and the development of ideal models of osteomyelitis was very important for the evaluation of new treatments.
OBJECTIVE: To stably and effectively establish a rabbit tibia model of osteomyelitis, suitable for different experimental requirements. 
METHODS: A total of 25 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three animal model groups: pore group (n=10), macropore group (n=10) and sham operation group (n=5). In the pore group, a 1 mm drill was used to drill holes in the tibia and the 100 μL Staphylococcus aureus (2×106 cfu) was injected. In the macropore group, the same method was used but the drill holes were 5 mm. The sham operation group was cut and sutured without drilling or injecting bacteria. The general state, body temperature, X-ray, CT, histopathological observation, serum C-reactive protein and procalcitonin mass concentration were measured within 1 month after surgery.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the sham operation group, the body temperature and serum C-reactive protein mass concentration of rabbits in the pore group and the macropore group increased in varying degrees. Molybdenum target X-ray film and CT examination: The imaging manifestations of the pore group were whole marrow cavity infection, while the macropore group was local bone defect infection. It is suggested that in the preparation of rabbit models of tibial osteomyelitis, the size of the borehole may lead to different consequences of tibial infection. The 5 mm borehole model may be suitable for the study of the efficacy of local anti-infection materials, and the 1 mm borehole model may be suitable for the evaluation of the efficacy of systemic antibiotic drug treatment of osteomyelitis.

Key words: tibia, osteomyelitis, drilling, Staphylococcus aureus, animal model