Stiffness measurement of the neocallus with the Fraktometer FM 100.
BACKGROUND
The assessment of fracture healing is subjective, and neither radiology nor manual examination allows a reliable determination of bone healing. Fracture healing control in the treatment of tibia shaft fracture with external fixator by a stiffness measurement system (Fraktometer FM 100) is known from clinical studies. The purpose of this study was to follow stiffness control at external fixator in healing of callotasis with the stiffness measurement system.


METHODS
From 1994 to 1997 stiffness measurements with the described system (Fraktometer FM 100) were performed in the BG-Clinic Ludwigshafen to assess the healing course in 11 cases of callotasis at lower limb.


RESULTS
In ten cases, regular healing could be followed by signal decrease; in one case, a persistent signal without tendency to decrease was able to reveal callotasis failure at an early point of time. The investigation could also show the importance of bending stiffness control. One case of late axis deformation after fixator removal occurred because of disregarding delayed bending signal decrease.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurements of the external fixator's stiffness after callotasis can provide useful additional information for further treatment strategy.
Schmickal
T
T
Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Ludwigshafen, Unfallchirurgische Klinik an der Universität Heidelberg, Ludwig-Guttmann-Str. 11-13, 67071 Ludwigshafen, Germany. tschmickal@bgu-ludwigshafen.de
von Recum
J
J
Wentzensen
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002146:Bony Callus / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D016267:External Fixators; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000628:therapy*