Concepts of fracture union, delayed union, and nonunion

D Marsh - Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®, 1998 - journals.lww.com
Laboratory and clinical scientists and practicing clinicians need definitions of union, delayed
union, and nonunion. Fracture union is a gradual process, so quantitative measures are the
most meaningful. However, end point definitions also are useful, but they need empirical
validation. The measure that has received the best validation in human fractures is bending
stiffness. Quantitative radiologic assessment of healing is difficult because varying patterns
of bone bridging can occur, including periosteal, endosteal, and intercortical patterns …