Malunion and NonUnion fractures are formed while healing a fractured bone. When your bone gets broken by any means, then it is termed as a fracture. Medically it is defined as a condition where the continuity of the bone is broken. Usually, the bony structure of a human body is very rigid, even though when a high force is exerted on the bone, it breaks.

What Is A Nonunion Fracture?

A broken bone takes a few months to heal after treatment. However, in some cases, a broken bone doesn’t heal properly even after treatment. Such fractures are considered as a nonunion fracture. It is similar to another term called delayed union. It is a type of fracture that takes more time to heal than standard healing time.

What Is A Malunion Fracture?
When a bone is fractured, it naturally heals after treatment. But during this healing process, when the two ends of the broken bone are not appropriately joined, then bone heals in the wrong direction. When your hand, leg, or any other bone in your body is fractured, and somehow if the bone is twisted or bent while healing, a malunion may occur. During treatment, if the bones are not aligned in the proper direction, a malunion may occur.

Difference between A Malunion Fracture And A Nonunion Fracture

A malunion fracture is different from the nonunion fracture. A fracture is said to be nonunion when the broken bone doesn’t heal. But in malunion, the fractured bone heals but in the wrong direction. Malunions mostly occur if the bones are aligned incorrectly during immobilization, or due to improper treatment after a fracture. Malunion fracture results in pain and swelling around the fracture and the bone & tissue get degenerated.

Medical technology has far developed and can provide advanced treatment methods, so mostly the broken bones heal without any difficulties. The exact cause of nonunion fracture is yet to be known, but certain conditions triggered during the healing process can cause nonunion. When there is no proper blood supply at the site of a fracture, improper alignment of the broken ends of the bones, soft-tissue imposition, infections at the fracture site, bone loss and damage of muscles, etc. can result in nonunions.

Both Malunions & Nonunions Are The Result Of The Same Cause?

In adults, malunions mostly occur due to poor mobilization, i.e. poor movement, excess weight or obesity, and ineffective surgical treatment provided to fix the fracture. When it comes to children, malunions occur due to damage of growth plates partially or entirely during trauma or overgrowth of bones after treatment. It can also lead to changes in limb length or angulation deformities.

Certain risk factors increase the chance of nonunions, which include – constant smoking and drinking alcohol. These factors restrain the capacity for bone healing. Other factors like older age, lack of nutrition, anemia, diabetes, genetic problems, low levels of vitamin D, hypothyroidism, and other Infectious diseases can result in nonunions. Before using any medication, patients should seek the advice of a doctor during the healing process of fracture. Even after treatment for the fracture, inadequate bone reduction, lack of immobilization, and abnormal fixation of the devices can also result in nonunions.

Where Does Malunion & Nonunion Fracture occur?

Malunion fractures commonly happen in any fracture where the healing is abnormal.

• Neck of femur
• Distal tibia
• scaphoid
• 5th metatarsal base

If a malunion fracture affects the joint nearby, then it might result in arthritis because of the abnormal wearing of the joint.

Treatment For Malunion & Nonunion Fractures

Nonunion fractures have both nonsurgical and surgical treatments available. Both the treatment options are needed in some cases. However, the best approach is decided by your orthopaedic doctor.

In nonsurgical treatment for nonunions, a bone stimulator is used where the device delivers ultrasonic or pulsed electromagnetic waves that stimulate the healing process.

Surgery is inevitable in some cases, and when the stimulation process fails to improve nonunions. The surgical treatment options for nonunions include:

• Bone grafting
• Allograft (cadaver bone graft)
• Bone graft substitutes or osteobiologics</li
• Internal fixation
• External fixation

To know more about Nonunion Treatment Methods Visit: https://www.drvasuortho.com/nonunion-fracture/

Surgical treatment for malunions can realign even severe fractures. Osteotomy is the most common orthopaedic surgical procedure performed to set improperly aligned broken bones into the correct position. An orthopaedic surgeon may use techniques like shortening, lengthening or realigning of the broken through osteotomy to correct a malunion.

To know more about malunions and its treatment procedures, visit https://www.drvasuortho.com/malunion-fracture/.

You no longer need to live with any deformity related to bones. There are various treatment options available in this modern era. If you or other individuals are known to you are suffering from any of the problems like malunions, nonunions, fractures, trauma, etc. associated with bones, consult Dr. Vasudeva Juvvadi who is one of the best-foreseen orthopaedic doctors in Hyderabad.