It’s not always as simple as putting on a cast and waiting for the body to heal itself over time. Different densities and interactions among the many components that make up our bones have an impact on how well a fracture heals.
Nonunion, which refers to a fracture that doesn’t heal properly, can be incapacitating in long bones like the legs. Additionally, doctors aren’t always able to identify nonunions when they happen, much less estimate the likelihood of one in advance. However, advancements in bone imaging technology are on the horizon to change that and provide clinicians with a view into the future to aid in the early detection of issues.
Researchers in mechanical engineering at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, are integrating virtual mechanical testing and bone imaging to create a more precise model of the healing process.
A virtual model can assist surgeons in identifying when a bone deviates from a normal healing process so they can intervene more quickly. Understanding how the fracture is actually being mended physically in the healing zone is crucial.
Among the Cast:
When the body recognises the fracture and releases immune cells to produce inflammation, the healing process begins. The body’s message to quit using the wounded portion is swelling.
A hematoma, or blood clot, fills the space left by the break while blood cells gather around the injury as well. A sort of soft bone called a callus progressively replaces the blood clot over the course of the following week, holding the bone together, though not firmly enough for use just yet. After the callus has had time to form, hard bone starts to replace it after a few weeks.
On X-rays, it’s challenging to tell how well these later stages are progressing due to the similarity between hard callus and hard bone. In order to more accurately forecast when hard bone will have completely replaced the callus, engineers are striving to understand the mechanical characteristics of bone and callus, such as mass and density. If the user utilises the bone normally before it has fully healed, using it too soon may hinder the healing process.
Prior computer models had trouble distinguishing between hard callus and hard bone, in large part because callus itself is composed of several tissue types with various physical characteristics.
However, this new study depends on measuring the pressure applied to the bone during twisting. In order to simulate the healing process, the researchers entered the CT pictures that corresponded to the test findings into a computer. Their findings assisted researchers in determining the transition point between callus and bone, where brighter spots on the image represent stiffer, harder bone. Knowing this cutoff point enables doctors to detect nonunions earlier and provide assistance by better understanding how and why the healing process is failing.
