Effect of Head Injury on Fracture healing of long bone fractures

Abstract

Introduction: The evidence shows that fractures heal more rapidly in patients with a head injury as a result of systemic factors released from the site of this injury. Patients sustaining severe head injury and fractures of long bones or large joints often show enhanced osteogenesis, with hypertrophic callus formation and/or heterotopic ossification. This study helps support the effect head injury on healing of long bone fractures.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted from Jan 2016 to Jan 2017 consisting of 27 cases of long bone fractures with head injury admitted in in Department of Orthopedics and Department of General Surgery (Neurosurgery unit) of tertiary care hospital. The preformed structured proforma were used to assess the data and, later those records were analyzed. The patients were followed up to 12 months from the date of surgery for the radiological evaluation of fracture healing.

Results: 27 cases of long bone fractures along with head injury were studied and followed up for 12 months. The study included fracture femur as most common fractures with male preponderance. Among them, 48% (13 cases) showed exuberant callus formation and 37 % (10cases) up to 9^th month follow up. All the patients with long bone fractures where fixed with internal fixation devices whereas open fractures were excluded from the study. The patients with head injury were included irrespective of their neuro-surgical interventions.  

Conclusion: The study showed the increased rate of fracture healing and exuberant callus formation in patients who had a head injury and fractures.