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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Had Compound Fracture Humerus Involving Elbow, Have Plates And Screws, Osteoporosis. TENS Machine Will Help?

My husband sustained a compound fracture of the lower third of his humerus 8 months ago, it also involved the elbow. The first surgery failed and he now has 2 plates and some screws. There is no callus and he now has osteoporosis of the lower humerus. He is undergoing physiotherapy. Do you think a TENS machine will aid fracture healing? We have another appointment with the surgeon 3rd May. I think we are heading for more surgery.
Tue, 23 Apr 2013
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Orthopaedic Surgeon,  's  Response
Get the x rays reviewd by orthopedician, if freacture is non-united or in delayed union,then it means there is some distraction at the fracture site,or interposition of fibrous tissue at fracture site.If osteoenia has developed in the local area it means decalcification of bone , but there may be no osteoporosis in other bones of body, which can be confirmed by x ray of pelvis,spine or bone densitometry (DEXAscan).

probably he would need bone grafting at fracture site along with New kind of plating called LC_DCP with locking screws in osteoporotic bone to promote callus and maintain stability.
Tens is for muscle -nerve stimulation but it will not work for non-union
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Had Compound Fracture Humerus Involving Elbow, Have Plates And Screws, Osteoporosis. TENS Machine Will Help?

Get the x rays reviewd by orthopedician, if freacture is non-united or in delayed union,then it means there is some distraction at the fracture site,or interposition of fibrous tissue at fracture site.If osteoenia has developed in the local area it means decalcification of bone , but there may be no osteoporosis in other bones of body, which can be confirmed by x ray of pelvis,spine or bone densitometry (DEXAscan). probably he would need bone grafting at fracture site along with New kind of plating called LC_DCP with locking screws in osteoporotic bone to promote callus and maintain stability. Tens is for muscle -nerve stimulation but it will not work for non-union