BONE-MINERAL CHANGES DURING TIBIAL FRACTURE-HEALING

Citation
Hc. Cattermole et al., BONE-MINERAL CHANGES DURING TIBIAL FRACTURE-HEALING, Clinical orthopaedics and related research, (339), 1997, pp. 190-196
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery,Orthopedics
ISSN journal
0009921X
Issue
339
Year of publication
1997
Pages
190 - 196
Database
ISI
SICI code
0009-921X(1997):339<190:BCDTF>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
The traditional assessment of fracture healing by manipulation and vie wing of radiographs is subjective and qualitative. Dual energy xray ab sorptiometry by contrast provides an accurate, precise, and minimally invasive quantitative measure of bone mineral density, a property that shows strong correlations with various mechanical properties of bone. Fourteen patients with unilateral tibial shaft fractures stabilized b y external fixation were monitored with dual energy xray absorptiometr y at monthly intervals after fracture. Fractured and contralateral unf ractured bones (controls) were scanned on each occasion. Changes in mi neralization with time over the whole length of the fractured bone cou ld be seen. The most pronounced effects were visible in the area of th e fracture, with a minimum recorded fracture site bone mineral density of 38 +/- 13% of contralateral values, but often more long term alter ations in bone mineral density affected regions at some distance from this zone. Significantly, in four patients who had scans 5 or more mon ths after fracture, the mineralization at the fracture site had return ed to control levels, whereas bone mineral density in a region proxima l to the fracture showed evidence of persisting posttraumatic osteopor osis.