Principles and Evaluation of Bony Unions
Tamara D Rozental1, Ian T Watkins2
1Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue - Stoneman 10, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
Abstract:
Nonunion is a common and costly problem. Unfortunately, there is no widely agreed upon and standardized definition for nonunion. The evaluation of bony union should start with a thorough history and physical examination. The clinician should consider patient-dependent as well as patient-independent characteristics that may influence the rate of healing and evaluate the patient for physical examination findings suggestive of bony union and infection. Radiographs and clinical examination can help confirm a diagnosis of union. When the diagnosis is in doubt, however, advanced imaging modalities as well as laboratory studies can help a surgeon determine when further intervention is necessary.
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