Healing in cancellous metaphyseal bone might be different from
midshaft fracture healing due to different access to mesenchymal
stem cells, and because metaphyseal bone often heals without a cartilaginous
phase. Inflammation plays an important role in the healing of a
shaft fracture, but if metaphyseal injury is different, it is important
to clarify if the role of inflammation is also different. The biology
of fracture healing is also influenced by the degree of mechanical
stability. It is unclear if inflammation interacts with stability-related
factors. We investigated the role of inflammation in three different models:
a metaphyseal screw pull-out, a shaft fracture with unstable nailing
(IM-nail) and a stable external fixation (ExFix) model. For each,
half of the animals received dexamethasone to reduce inflammation,
and half received control injections. Mechanical and morphometric evaluation
was used.Objectives
Methods
The negative impact of NSAIDs on fracture healing appears not to pertain to fractures in cancellous bone. Possibly this is because of a higher prevalence of MSCs in cancellous bone, making recruitment of distant cells via inflammatory signals less important. It is well established that cox inhibitors (NSAIDs) impair fracture healing, also in humans. However, as they provide good pain relief it is unclear when to avoid these drugs. The healing process in cortical and cancellous fractures differs regarding progenitor cell sources, and inflammation might be involved in the recruitment of cells from distant sources. We therefore hypothesised that fractures in cancellous bone are less sensitive to reduced inflammation due to cox inhibitors.Summary
Introduction
Atypical femoral fractures consist of a thin fracture line extending through the lateral cortex. The adjacent bone is undergoing resorption and mechanical abrasion and is often replaced with woven bone. The mechanical environment seems to inhibit healing. The pathophysiology behind bisphosphonate-associated atypical femoral fractures remains unclear. Histological findings at the fracture site itself might provide important clues. So far only one case describing the histological appearance of the fracture has been published.Summary Statement
Background
These data suggest that PTH treatment for stimulation of bone healing after trauma is not much dependent on mechanical stimulation and therefore, roughly equal treatment effects might be expected in the upper and lower extremities in humans. Stimulation of bone formation by PTH is known to, in part, act via increased mechanosensitivity. Therefore, unloading should decrease the response to PTH treatment in uninjured bone. This has served as a background for speculations that PTH might be less efficacious for human fracture treatment in unloaded limbs, e.g. for distal radial fractures. We analyzed if the connection with mechanical stimulation also pertains to bone formation after trauma in cancellous bone.Summary
Introduction
