ABSTRACT

Background: Radiographs are normally used to assess union of fractures. The current study focuses on use of load cell assessment as a diagnostic tool to non-invasively assess fracture healing and new bone formation in closed tibia fractures managed conservatively which can be confirmed with radiographs taken alongside. Material and Methods: In a pilot study 15 closed fractures of tibia treated with functional cast bracing plaster were evaluated. Their healing was followed with clinical assessment and periodical radiographs till the endpoint of fracture union and then the functional cast bracing was removed. Besides, all these cases also had load cell assessment. The load cell assessment is done for the uninjured limb also. The readings of the injured and uninjured were plotted as a graph for the entire period of fracture treatment and their characteristics were studied. These graphs of the fractured and uninjured limbs were compared with the appearance of new bone at the fracture site in the radiographs. Results: except 2 cases which were lost for follow up in all other cases, when the loading curves of the injured and uninjured limbs are merging, the radiographs showed healing (bridging callus) matching the graph and the patient was able to comfortably load the limb. The day of this merging was different for individual cases. All available patients had fracture healing at the fixed period of 12 weeks and were allowed full weight bearing without braces. Conclusion: In this non invasive method, if the loading curves of the injured and uninjured limbs are merging, we can predict that the fracture tissue had strengthened. This matched the patients’ ability to painlessly load the fractured limb .The radiographs also showed bridging callus. The maximum loading capacity was roughly 15 % of his body weight. If this is used as a parameter for fracture healing assessment in future, then the need for radiographs and resultant radiation will be less. Keywords: load- cell, conservative, normal limb, comparison, fracture healing, radiographs

https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2018/January/1514648902MS IJBPAS 2017 4278.pdf

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