Non-union is failure of healing following a broken bone. It may occur if there is infection, chronic disease states, poor blood supply or excessive movement in the fracture site. Risk factors include NSAIDS, smoking and infection. Patients typically complain of pain at the site of the fracture.
Treatment options include bone stimulator and surgery.
EW is 70y/o geologist who broke his tibia and fibula after a fall requiring surgical placement of a rod and two screws. Patient has multiple medical problems including coronary artery disease, history of MI, diabetes, lumbar degenerative disc disease, peripheral neuropathy, lumbar radiculopathy and chronic back pain requiring oral narcotics. Unfortunately the fracture failed to heal and was unresponsive to a bone stimulator. Surgery was the next option with removal of existing hardware and re-breaking of the bones to stimulate healing. EW declined and opted to use his own mesenchymal stem cells via the Regenexx procedure.
Yesterday, 18 months post stem cell injection EW returned to clinic reporting no leg pain. He is out of his wheelchair and back to enjoying life. Below are his x-rays whihc document the healing of the non-union fracture.
