Fracture Healing

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Fracture Healing - Bone's Break & Mend

  • Healing Types:
    • Primary (Direct): Rigid fixation, no callus. Gap < 200 µm.
    • Secondary (Indirect): Commonest, involves callus, tolerates some motion.
  • Secondary Healing Stages:
    • 1. Hematoma/Inflammation (0-7 days): Clot, inflammatory cells, growth factors.
    • 2. Soft Callus (1-3 wks): Granulation tissue, fibrocartilage (fibroblasts/chondrocytes). Initial stability.
    • 3. Hard Callus (3-12 wks): Woven bone via endochondral ossification. Osteoblasts active.
    • 4. Remodeling (months-yrs): Woven bone → lamellar bone. Medullary canal restored. Wolff's Law. image

⭐ Wolff's Law: Bone remodels along lines of mechanical stress, adapting structure to demands.

Fracture Healing Stages - The Repair Crew

Fracture healing is a dynamic, multi-stage process restoring bone integrity. Most common is indirect (secondary) healing with callus formation.

  • Stage 1: Haematoma & Inflammation (0-7 days)

    • Blood clot (haematoma) forms, fibrin mesh.
    • Influx of neutrophils, macrophages.
    • Release of cytokines & growth factors (PDGF, TGF-β).
    • Granulation tissue begins. Stages of Fracture Healing and Bisphosphonate Effects
  • Stage 2: Soft Callus Formation (1-3 weeks)

    • Fibroblasts & chondroblasts proliferate.
    • Haematoma replaced by fibrocartilaginous (soft) callus.
    • Provides initial stability; not for weight-bearing.

    ⭐ Soft callus is typically visible on X-ray by 2-3 weeks.

  • Stage 3: Hard Callus Formation (3-12 weeks)

    • Endochondral ossification: soft callus → woven bone by osteoblasts.
    • Mineralization increases callus strength.
    • Clinical union: no pain/movement at fracture site.
  • Stage 4: Remodelling (Months to Years)

    • Woven bone gradually replaced by lamellar bone.
    • Medullary canal restored.
    • Bone reshaped by osteoclastic & osteoblastic activity (Wolff's Law).
    • Radiological union: fracture line disappears.

Fracture Healing Factors - Boosters & Blockers

  • Boosters (Promote Healing):
    • Systemic Factors:
      • Young age, good health
      • Nutrition (Protein, Vit C, D, $Ca^{2+}$)
      • Hormones (GH, Thyroid, Calcitonin)
    • Local Factors:
      • Good vascularity
      • Immobilization & stability
      • Growth factors (BMPs, TGF-β)
      • Minimal tissue damage, no infection
  • Blockers (Impair Healing):
    • Systemic Factors:
      • Old age, malnutrition, smoking
      • Corticosteroids, NSAIDs (esp. early phase)
      • DM, severe anemia, hypoxia
      • Cytotoxic drugs, Immunosuppression
    • Local Factors:
      • Infection
      • Poor vascularity (AVN risk)
      • Instability / movement, large gap
      • Soft tissue interposition, severe comminution
      • Bone loss, malignancy

⭐ Infection is the most common cause of delayed union and non-union.

Fracture Healing Complications - When Mends Go Awry

  • Malunion: Heals in a non-anatomical position.
    • Angular or rotational deformity.
  • Delayed Union: Healing takes longer than expected (typically >3-6 months).
    • Causes: Poor blood supply, infection, inadequate immobilization.
  • Nonunion: Failure of fracture to heal by >6-9 months.
    • Types: Hypertrophic (elephant foot), Atrophic (pencil point), Oligotrophic.
    • Requires intervention (e.g., bone graft, internal fixation).
  • Avascular Necrosis (AVN): Bone death due to ↓ blood supply.
    • Common sites: Femoral head, scaphoid, talus.
  • Compartment Syndrome: ↑ pressure within a fascial compartment.
    • Leads to muscle and nerve ischemia.
    • ⚠️ Surgical emergency: Fasciotomy.
  • Infection (Osteomyelitis): Bacterial contamination.
  • Pseudoarthrosis: False joint formation at nonunion site.
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS): Chronic pain, swelling, autonomic dysfunction.

Hypertrophic nonunion often indicates good vascularity but poor stability, whereas atrophic nonunion suggests poor vascularity and biology at the fracture site.

  • Fat Embolism Syndrome: Fat globules enter circulation, common in long bone fractures (femur, tibia).
    • Triad: Respiratory distress, neurological symptoms, petechial rash (📌 Fat Embolism Syndrome = Fever, Encephalopathy, Skin rash).

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Fracture healing stages: Hematoma, inflammation, soft callus (fibrocartilage), hard callus (woven bone), remodeling (lamellar bone).
  • Primary healing: Occurs with rigid fixation, no external callus, direct Haversian remodeling.
  • Secondary healing: Most common, involves granulation tissue, callus formation, endochondral ossification.
  • Key cells: Platelets, macrophages, fibroblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts, osteoclasts.
  • Critical growth factors: BMPs (Bone Morphogenetic Proteins), TGF-β, PDGF, FGF.
  • Factors impairing healing: Instability, poor vascularity, infection, NSAIDs, smoking, diabetes.
  • Complications: Delayed union, non-union (hypertrophic/atrophic), malunion, pseudoarthrosis.

Practice Questions: Fracture Healing

Test your understanding with these related questions

Nonunion is most common in fracture of the:

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Flashcards: Fracture Healing

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In pseudoarthrosis, the central portion of the callus undergoes _____ degeneration

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In pseudoarthrosis, the central portion of the callus undergoes _____ degeneration

cystic

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