Pathological Fractures

= a fracture occurring in diseased bone

Important points:

• A force which is insufficient to break a normal bone may result in a fracture in diseased or abnormal bone
• It is important to suspect one of the underlying conditions which predispose to pathological fractures (listed below) in a patient with a fracture which appears inconsistent with the mechanism of injury

Causes

A number of conditions predispose patients to pathological fractures:

1. Osteoporosis

2. Osteomalacia

3. Paget’s disease

4. Tumour - primary/secondary and benign/malignant

            - other malignancy, such as myeloma

5. Inflammatory conditions – rheumatoid arthritis

6. Infection
N.B. some of these conditions have been discussed elsewhere 
 
 

OSTEOPOROSIS

= reduced bone density
Important points: