Influence of bone and soft-tissue operations on serum concentrations of growth hormone, somatomedin C and alkaline phosphatase.

After animal experiments suggested there was an interaction between growth hormone and bone healing, our aim in this paper was to ascertain whether there were any changes or possible interaction between the serum level of growth hormone, somatomedin C and alkaline phosphatase while a fractured bone was healing. To this end, the serum concentrations of growth hormone, somatomedin C, alkaline phosphatase and calcium were ascertained both pre- and post-operatively in two groups of patients--one with bone operations, the other with soft-tissue operations--and the results were compared. Comparing the groups, we found that after bone operations there was no increase in the serum level of growth hormone, nor of somatomedin C. An increase would have implied that these two hormones are directly involved in bone regeneration. There was no change in the serum level of alkaline phosphatase or calcium after either bone or soft-tissue operations.