Fracture Flashcards
What is the most common bone lesion?
Fracture
What does formation of non-bone tissue at a fracture site represent?
Incomplete healing
What are the three phases of fracture healing?
- Inflammation
- Reparative phase
- Remodeling phase
What is dead bone characterized by?
Absence of osteocytes and empty osteocyte lacunae
What are the major events that occur in the inflammatory phase of fracture healing?
Large clot forms and pluripotential mesenchymal cells from soft tissue give rise to osteoblasts
What are the two major objectives of the Reparative Phase of Fracture Healing?
- Organize and resorb the blood clot
- Neovascularize construction of the callus, which will eventually bridge the fracture site
What is the objective of the remodeling phase of fracture healing?
The bone is reorganized so that the original cortex is restored
In what conditions does primary healing of fractures occur?
In controlled fractures where there is no bone displacement or soft tissue injury (Surgery or Drill holes)
What conditions does nonunion occur in fractures?
Interposition of soft tissue w/i the fracture, excessive motion, infection, poor blood supply
What is pseudoarthrosis?
Joint-like tissue is formed at an unhealed fracture site
What causes stress fractures?
Accumulation of stress-induced microfractures.
What event occurs before a stress fracture?
Formation of a callus
