What is pseudarthrosis?
Pseudarthrosis is a disease that occurs when a bone does not heal well after a fracture, that is, it is a bone fracture that cannot heal without intervention, since the body perceives the bone fragments as if they were separate bones, so it does not try to fuse them. Children can suffer from it congenitally, but it is more common among adults.
What are the symptoms of pseudarthrosis?
The symptoms are similar to those of osteoarthritis, including lack of mobility, after the supposed recovery of a fracture or a surgical intervention, pain, noticing clicks and bones moving in the area and in some cases having a reddened area or even fever.
What are the causes of pseudarthrosis?
The causes may be related to several factors:
- Patient: advanced age, poor nutritional status, alcohol or nicotine use, and metabolic disturbances such as hyperparathyroidism.
- Fracture: separation or loss of bone at the fracture site, infection, soft tissue interposition, damage to the muscles around the fracture and loss of blood supply.
- Treatment: insufficient immobilization, inadequate reduction or improperly applied fixation devices.
Can pseudarthrosis be prevented?
If the cause is related to treatment, it can be prevented by treating the injury well and, if necessary, resorting to surgery before it becomes complicated.
What is the treatment of pseudarthrosis?
The main treatments that can be used are:
- Electrical stimulation: causes the bone cells to form the hydroxyapatite structure to prevent the bone from bending.
- Bone graft: using bone from the same patient or from a donor, it is placed in the lesion to stimulate the healing of the damaged bone.
- Fixation: may be by metal plates, screws, pins or rods, which can be screwed or placed inside the bone to stabilize the fractured bone fragments.