title: Microstructural features of non-union of human humeral shaft fracture.
abstract: Microstructures of non-unions of human humeral shaft fractures were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray microdiffraction. The non-union has a trabeculae structural framework similar to woven bone. Among the trabeculae are cavities that are subdivided into small chambers by thin plates of collagen fibrils. Some chambers are filled with variously shaped mineralized particles several micrometers in size. The collagen fibrils in both the trabeculae and the thin plates were only slightly mineralized by hydroxyapatite. Vesicles loaded with noncrystalline calcium phosphate (NCP) were observed in most mineralized particles, and brushite crystals with special morphology were seen to be embedded in some particles in irregular shapes. X-ray microdiffraction results indicated that the mineral phases in the non-unions were mainly NCP in addition to small amounts of hydroxyapatite and brushite. NCP deposition and insufficient mineralization of the collagen fibrils may be two important microstructural features of the non-unions of human humeral shaft fractures different from normally repaired bone callus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China. Wen@Rullf2.MedFac.LeidenUniv.nl
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: F Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: X D
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002146:Bony Callus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017886:Durapatite / Q000032:analysis; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006811:Humerus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C485828:alpha-tricalcium phosphate; C485830:tetracalcium phosphate; C485838:calcium phosphate, monobasic, anhydrous; D003094:Collagen; D017886:Durapatite; C020243:calcium phosphate; C485829:calcium phosphate, dibasic, anhydrous; C494366:calcium phosphate, dibasic, dihydrate