Atrophic femoral nonunion successfully treated with teriparatide.

Abstract

Teriparatide is a synthetic polypeptide hormone that contains the 1-34 aminoacid fragment of the recombinant human parathyroid hormone. It has been approved for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at high risk for sustaining a fragility fracture. It has been shown that teriparatide also accelerates fracture healing by improving the biomechanical properties of the fracture callus, increasing endochondral ossification and bone remodeling in animal models. This effect has been observed in several case reports. Fracture healing disorders negatively affect the patient's quality of life and result in high healthcare costs, as a second surgery is required to stabilize the fracture and stimulate bone biology. Future biotechnologies that accelerate fracture healing may be useful tools. We present a case report of delayed union of a femoral fracture treated with teriparatide. She was diagnosed with right distal metaphyseal femoral fracture on total knee arthroplasty. She underwent surgery at our center consisting of ORIF with lateral femoral locking plate in October 2011. Radiologic controls at 5 and 7 months did not show any signs of healing. After 2 months of treatment with teriparatide, the X-ray showed the presence of bone bridges and a decreased gap between fragments and a different aspect of neoformed bone. After 3 months of treatment, healing was complete. Our case report seems to confirm the possible effect of TPTD as bone induction through a more rapid healing of fractures. The TPTD could have a potentially important role in treating some forms of nonunion and delay in consolidation. Thus, one could hypothesize the possibility of a medical treatment with TPTD both as a preventive way and also as a support to the synthesis in high risk of nonunion fractures and complexed fractures in osteoporotic bone.

• Authors: S Giannotti, V Bottai, G Dell'Osso, G de Paola, E Pini, G Guido
• Journal: European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie (Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol) Vol. 23 Suppl 2 Pg. S291-4 (Nov 2013) ISSN: 1432-1068 [Electronic] France
• PMID: 23412268 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Bone Density Conservation Agents
• Teriparatide

Topics

• Aged, 80 and over
• Atrophy (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Bone Density Conservation Agents (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Femoral Fractures (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Femur (pathology)
• Fracture Fixation, Internal
• Fractures, Ununited (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Periprosthetic Fractures (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Radiography
• Teriparatide (therapeutic use)