At Risk Fractures

Smith & Nephew

Not all broken bones heal at the same rate and some may develop into a non-union. Some fractures may be less likely to heal because of the type of fracture, such as an open fracture (also known as a compound fracture, when a broken bone penetrates the skin), or the fracture’s location. Others may heal more slowly because the patient does not follow his or her surgeon’s advice.

Still other fractures may heal slowly because of a patient’s lifestyle or medical conditions. These factors which inhibit or delay healing, some controllable and some not, are often referred to as risk factors.

Risk factors that can delay bone healing include:

Smoking or tobacco use
Diabetes
Obesity
Advanced age
Osteoporosis
Certain anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen (NSAIDS), steroids, hormones and anticoagulants
Nutritional deficiency
Anemia
Vascular insufficiency

Smith & Nephew

A “non-union” is a term physicians use to describe a fracture that shows no signs of healing (or has not healed). There is no hard-and-fast rule for labeling a fracture a non-union. If in the course of treatment your physician sees little or no signs of healing, then he or she may have concerns that your fracture may become a non-union.

Smith & Nephew

Take the initiative to help heal your bone. Click on the following link to download the Bone Healing Discussion Guide with your treating physician.