Pseudarthrosis

Pseudarthrosis is the movement of bone at the location of a fracture due to inadequate healing. The term is derived from the Greek "pseud," which means "false," and "arthrosis," which means "joint." Thus, it can be taken literally to mean a "false joint," and is also synonymous with the term "nonunion." In essence, it means there is movement between bone structures where there should not be.

How Does it Arise, and what are the Symptoms?

Pseudarthrosis can result from a developmental problem in young children when a bone (typically in the arms or legs) fractures spontaneously. This is known as congenital pseudarthrosis. The more common occurrence of this condition, however, is in adults, and it typically describes a situation in which an injury caused a fractured bone that has failed to heal. It can also occur in adults as the result of a failed spinal fusion. The symptoms of this condition include back and/or neck pain that may not present until months or even years after the initial injury or surgery, as well as pain that radiates into the arms and/or legs.

Treatment Options

Typical treatment options for pseudarthrosis include:

• Another attempted spinal fusion surgery
• Electrical stimulation to trigger bone cells to form a structure that prevents movement
• Bone grafting to stimulate bone healing
• Fixation, or the insertion of hardware in order to stabilize broken bone fragments

If you're suffering back and/or neck pain and have had a bone fracture in the past or a spinal fusion surgery that you feel may be to blame, visit your doctor right away to determine if pseudarthrosis is the culprit. Imagery, such as CT scans, can help determine if this condition is present.