Consolidated (fused) fracture: what is it?

On reception at the doctor-traumatologist some patients hear a diagnosis of a consolidated fracture: what is it? First you need to understand when and why a person experiences a fracture, what factors affect the fragility and the accretion of the bone.

What is a fracture?

Consolidated fracture of a healed fracture with callus formation. This does not strain the bone. Fracture - the bone of the person with a violation of its integrity due to mechanical or physical influences. Fracture of bone a person can obtain in the following cases:

• when falling from a great or a small height (it depends on the nature of the injury and its severity);
• by a physical shock from the outside;
• during sports activities, improper work performance, and even when sneezing (fractured ribs);
• because of the fragility of bones due to disease (lack of calcium, diabetes, osteoporosis, bone cancer);
• frequently suffer from fractures elderly people.

Depending on soft tissue injuries fractures can be open (with a gap of the skin and soft tissues, muscle).

Also, fractures are closed (preserving the integrity of the soft tissues).

Treatment of fractures, the rate of adhesions and severity of injuries depend on the number of broken bones, the extent of fracture, associated soft tissue injuries, the presence or absence of hemorrhage and the injury.

The stages of coalescence of bones

Doctors divide the process of healing of the fracture and remodeling of bone tissue into three stages:

1. Damage.
2. Regeneration (or restoration) of the bone.
3. The restructuring of the bone.

The first stage involves the trauma itself. The main symptoms of a fracture - severe pain and impaired motor activity of the limb at the fracture site. But the diagnosis of the injury in the first minute can be complicated by the occurrence of painful shock (the condition of man after the injury where he can not feel pain some time and actively move around). Locomotor activity in the fracture is very dangerous as it aggravates the condition of bone and adjacent tissues.

Immediately after trauma at the site of fracture can disrupt the blood circulation, it causes inflammation (it is rarely associated with germs and bacteria) place of injury is swelling, there is a bruise. Blood is necessary for the damaged tissue and bone, it contains substances that stop the inflammation, can help relieve pain and accelerate bone healing.

Onthe second phase, the bone tissue begins to regenerate its cells. They begin to actively proliferate, to connect the fragments of the broken bone and to fill the cracks. The closer and smoother will be the ends of the broken bones against each other, the faster the fracture will heal and the less complications will arise later.

The third stage begins the formation of so-called callus. At this time, and begins consolidation of the fracture. Callus is a structure that occurs in the fracture site first, in the form osteodes tissue. Then she turns into the cartilage or the bone by the calcination. The formation of callus suggests that the fracture will heal soon. Enough years (depending on the fracture) to a consolidated fully healed fracture.

Consolidation and fracture healing time bone

The time for which the consolidating fracture turns into a healthy bone, differ from the fracture and the General condition of a person.

Consolidation of small-sized bones, the phalanges, the metacarpal bones of a hand and edges is done within a few weeks, maximum a month. If the injury is localized in the bones of the foot, hand and shoulder, including clavicle, required a longer period (two to three months). A simple broken leg usually heals in 3-4 months, on the femur takes a little more time. The compound fractures (fractures of the hip bones) are fused at least six months. The full restoration of the bone can take several years.

Consolidation of bone is a natural biological process of the body. It starts regardless of the patient's condition and medication and vitamins. From them can affect the rate of tissue adhesions and strength of the seam.

To accelerate the consolidation of bone is possible with the help of various medicines. They stimulate bone growth and accelerate the emergence and calcination of callus.

For example, the drug Osteogenon increases the rate of healing of fractures and stronger bones, which helps to avoid re-fractures. The preparation consists of calcium, due to him and konsolidiruyutsya bone, phosphorus, and ossein (a drug that contains the proteins responsible for stimulating the growth of bone tissue) and various collagens. The high effectiveness of this drug due to the presence in its composition of calcium salts, which are well absorbed by the body.

An additional element(phosphorus) ensures that calcium is in any case not settled in the kidneys and other organs, and was "building" material for new bone tissue.

At the time of coalescence of bones it is advisable to consult with your doctor about the use of certain drugs. Many of them can slow down the process of consolidation of bones. You also need to refuse from taking alcohol and especially Smoking. At the time of the restoration of a consolidated fracture must be fixed and not to move.

Additionally, you need to take vitamins with high amounts of calcium in the diet should prevail milk and milk products. Also useful are spinach, cabbage and different varieties of fish.

It should be remembered that an important role in the formation of callus is played by such elements as magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.

Causes of delayed bone consolidation

There are a number of reasons why consolidation of the bone can be slowed or even stopped:

• older age (over 50 years), the older a person is, the longer he fused fractures;
• diabetes and other system diseases of metabolism;
• exhaustion and vitamin deficiency;
• pregnancy;
• the presence in the body inflammation with pus;
• circulatory failure due to fracture or because of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• high motor activity and load on the fracture site.

Another reason for the long coalescence of bones may be incorrect immobilization of the injured person. Too tight plaster (bandage) or not sufficiently tight can lead to the disruption of consolidation of the damaged bone. In case of insufficient qualification of the doctor who assisted can cause improper fusion of bones and delayed consolidation. After injury cannot be limited to the imposition of gypsum in the ambulance or emergency room trauma surgeon. To avoid complications after the fracture, you should regularly visit a doctor who will monitor the condition as the bones and casts.

If the fracture is very complex, the bone is broken in several places or have large debris, to consolidate surgical intervention is necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgvFXBTYVJ0

The surgeon during the operation, special screws pins or inserts of the spokes (depending on the fracture), on the basis of which a future callus. This is necessary when the independent Union of bones is not possible or is impaired. The abandonment of these operationscan cause improper fusion of the bones and loss of full motor function of the injured extremity.

To accelerate the consolidation of bone introducing new medical technologies. It is now widely tested method shock wave therapy. It is through the acceleration of angiogenesis in the region of injury.