6: Delayed Union/Nonunion - Drown Flashcards
3 main blood supplies to adult long bone
- principal nutrient a (penetrates cortex direct to medullary canal, main supply to diaphysis)
- metaphyseal-epiphyseal a (penetrate corteca t both metaphyssi, anastomose with medullary aa)
- periosteal a (supply outer 1/4 to 1/3 boen)
inflammatory phase of secondary fracture healing
- immediately post injury
- hematoma forms
- mast cells, PMNs, macrophages, lysosomal enzymes present
- pain and swelling occurs to splint area and to immoilize fracture site
- 3-4 d
proliferative phase of secondary fracture healing
- fibrin scaffold provided durign inflammatory phase replaced with emsenchymal cells producing granulation tissue
- callus begins as islands of cartilage and osteoid in granulation tissue
- 7-10 d chondrocytes produce matrix spanning fx site allowing stabilization
- cartilage replaced by bone during enchondral ossification
remodeling phase of secondary fracture healing
- after fx bridged
- osteoclastic resorption of woven bone and replaced with lamellar bone
why phase is skipped with primary bone healing?
fibrocartilagnious callus phase
- heals through haversian remodeling and cutting cones (leading tips of osteoclasts tha phagocytose osteoid at end of haversian canals)
non-anatomical alignment at fracture stie
malunion
ex: angulation, shortening, rotation, translation
tx: none -> surgical itnervention
any fx not healed in reasonable period of time
delayed union
radiographic findings delayed union
- serial radiographs show unchanged irritation callus, persistance of fracture cleft
- also see persistent edema dn pain
tx delayed union
- NWB and immobilization
- electrical bone growth stimulation
nonunion = failure to achieve stable fx healing after ____ of tx
8-9 months
reasons for non-union
- distraction
- poor reduction
- soft tissue interposition
- infection
- vascular compromise
- excessive motion at fx site
3 types of viable non-unions
- hypertrophic “elephant foot”
- slightly hypertrophic “horses foot”
- oligotrophic (no callus formation, bone scan says vascular bone ends)
contraindications electrical bone stimulation
- gap greater than 1/2 diameter of bone involved
- pseudoarthritis
- isolated malunion
- isolated usage in pathological fx due to tumor or infection
4 types non-viable nonunion
- dystrophic (torsional wedge - only one side good)
- necrotic (comminuted fracture)
- defect (gap present)
- atrophic (end result)
all considered avascular
indications for bone grafting
- delayed union
- non-union
- pseudo arthroses
- osseous defect left after taruma, infection, tumor
- arthrodesis of jts
- congenital defect