Delayed fracture healing: A fracture is considered to be delayed if, after treatment, the fracture has not formed a bony healing after the average healing time has elapsed. If the fracture does not heal bony after a certain period of treatment, the fracture may not heal. Non-healing fracture: A fracture due to trauma or surgery that has not healed within a recognized time period. Determining the time of healing is difficult; for example, a tibial stem fracture can heal at 10 weeks or 12 months, depending on the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that govern the surgery.