title: Treatment of pathologic fracture following postoperative radiation therapy: clinical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pathologic fractures are caused by diseases that lead to weakness of the bone structure. This process sometimes occurs owing to bony change after radiation therapy. Treatment of pathologic fractures may be difficult because of previous radiation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we analyzed clinical and radiographic data and progress of five patients with mandibular pathological fractures who had received postoperative radiation therapy following cancer surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients received an average radiation dose of 59.2 (SD, 7.2) Gy. Four of five patients exhibited bone union regardless of whether open reduction and internal fixation (OR/IF) was performed. Patients have the potential to heal after postoperative radiation therapy. Treatment of a pathologic fracture following postoperative radiation therapy, such as traditional treatment for other types of fractures, may be performed using OR/IF or CR. OR/IF may be selected in cases of significant bone deviation, small remaining bone volume, or occlusive change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients have the potential to heal after postoperative radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2175 Dalgubeoldae-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41940 South Korea.
authors.forename: Chul-Man
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2175 Dalgubeoldae-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41940 South Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Hyeog
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2175 Dalgubeoldae-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41940 South Korea.
authors.forename: Seong-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, 2175 Dalgubeoldae-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 41940 South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Wook
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4074-877X
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Osteoradionecrosis; Pathologic fracture; Postoperative radiation therapy