Structural changes of cortical bone in secondary hyperparathyroidism: replacement of lamellar bone by woven bone

In femoral cortical bone of 16 uremic patients with long standing renal insufficiency an increased fraction of woven bone was found both in Haversian and in interstitial bone. Either partly resorbed Haversian systems were replaced by non lamellar woven bone or single Haversian systems showed partly well organized lamellar bone and partly disorganized non lamellar texture without signs of antecedent resorption. The replacement of lamellar bone by woven bone was measured morphometrically in undecalcified ground sections. Woven bone was defined by its lack of structural birefringence under polarized light. In advanced cases of secondary hyperparathyroidism more than 60% of cortical bone were composed of woven bone. The substitution of immature less organized woven bone for mature well orfanized lamellar bone has important implications for the biomechanical properties of the skeleton.