title: New concepts and advances of immobilization of long bones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present some new concepts in the treatment of fractures and bone defects of long bones with internal fixation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal experiments, mechanical tests and clinical analyses were done.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduction of fracture should be perfect, bone defect can be reconstructed by intramedullary and extramedullary bone graft. Relatively rigid fixation at the early stage and elastic fixation at the later stage are beneficial not only for fracture healing, but also for bone remodeling. In order to avoid complications including non-union, immobilization syndrome of the bone and joint, and implant failure, radiographs should be taken periodically; if there is any bone resorption, weight-bearing should be restricted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, First Teaching Hospital, Norman Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016267:External Fixators; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D017102:Fracture Healing; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures