How well does a fractured femur heal at 10 weeks?

Generally, after good reduction, a femoral stem fracture of purely traumatic origin should have almost healed after 10 weeks, with the formation of an osseous crust, but still falling short of normal functional requirements. Normal fracture healing process should go through four stages: hematoma formation, fibrous bone scab formation, bony bone scab formation and bone scab alteration. 1. Hematoma formation: occurs a few hours after the fracture. There is a lot of bleeding in and around the ends of the fracture, forming a hematoma. At the same time, a mild inflammatory reaction often occurs. 2. Fibrous scab formation: this period is 2 days ∽ 2 weeks after the fracture. The hematoma begins to be replaced by granulation tissue mechanization, followed by fibrosis to form fibrous bone scab, also known as temporary bone scab. 3. Bony scab formation: occurs a few weeks after the fracture. The previous fibrous bone scab gradually differentiates osteoblasts to form bone-like tissue, and then calcium salt deposition occurs and the bone-like tissue transforms into woven bone. However, the structure of bone tissue in this period is not dense enough, and the arrangement of bone trabeculae is disordered, which can’t reach the normal functional needs. 4. Scab reconstruction: After 6 to 12 months, in order to adapt to the stress of bone activity, woven bone is further reconstructed into mature lamellar bone, and the trabecular arrangement is restored. The time it takes for a specific fracture to heal is related to the location of the fracture, age, degree of damage, and many other factors. In order to better understand the patient’s recovery and healing, it is recommended that the patient review the situation in a timely manner and do the necessary tests under the guidance of a ‘specialized doctor.