Fibrocartilage callus

Callus, and callus (Latin callus, thick skin) is, first, a general term for a callus, especially for a Hornschwiele. The callus is secondly a specific medical term for newly formed bone tissue after a fracture.

Description

The callus - Synonyms are " bone callus ", " fracture callus ", " Bruchkallus " - is built by the osteoblasts. The formation of bone is visible with the aid of X-rays under certain conditions after a few weeks. A prerequisite for the radiologically visible callus formation that the broken ends to each other are not one hundred percent or fit or have movement, so that, therefore, a gap needs to be bridged. This form of fracture healing is healing by secondary intention, also called indirect fracture healing.

In such cases, the osteoblasts build during healing a bone fracture, a radiological conspicuous thickening of the fracture. The thickening is usually broken down into a long-lasting process ( months to years ) of the osteoclasts back to the normal bone thickness.

A primary bone healing callus formation is absent. There will be a direct fracture healing through the Haversian canals.

An excessive callus formation may be indicative of a delayed bone fracture healing due to insufficient immobilization and develop into a hypertrophic nonunion.

The callus can for bone fractures near the joint or joint to a subsequent movement restriction ( contracture) lead. Rarely, compression of nerves and blood vessels near bone are possible.