Osteoporology Case Study

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Complete means when a fracture is completely though the bone. A communited fracture is when the broken bone has shattered into numerous smaller pieces. Intertrochanteric is when a fracture is located between the greater trochanter and lesser trochanter of the femur.
Question 2
Draw a picture of what you think Margaret’s fracture looks like.

Question 3
The radiologist reported signs of osteoporosis. Describe the characteristics of an osteoporotic femur as seen on an X-ray. (How does it differ in appearance from a normal femur?)
Osteoporosis is noticeable when there is a decrease in bone volume. The changes in the osteoporotic femur include:
- The outer layer of compact bone around the epiphyses thinning
- The bony collar around the …show more content…

The tough compact bone is not needed in the middle therefore compressive and tearing forces cancel each other out mid-way through the bone.

Question 5

Describe the microscopic features of osseous tissue that help long bones withstand compressive forces without breaking.

The bony collar of long bones is the one that is designed to help support the weight of the body and withstand compressive stress.
Epiphysis, is spherical in shape and is located at both the distal and proximal end of a long bone. It consists of an irregular latticework of needle-like threads of bone called trabeculae. Therefore, the spongy bone in the epiphyses help to withstand compressive forces. It passes on strength to a bone by adding minimum weight. The trabeculae also helps to develop the weight of the body out of the bony collar of the diaphysis.

Question 6
Surgeons performed an open reduction of Margaret’s fracture, immobilising the bones with internal pins.
Describe the changes a fractured bone undergoes as it is healing.
Healing process …show more content…

A number of outcomes can occur including infections in the respiratory system, possibly a further loss of bone volume, bedsores can develop or even thrombophlebitis. An important point is a prolonged bedrest results in having less stress put on the skeleton- meaning there would be a loss of bone mass.
Question 8
What risk factors does Margaret have for osteoporosis?
Margaret has several risk factors for osteoporosis:
This includes:
- The lifestyle factor: smoking
- Low levels of physical activity, because she is not placing much stress on her skeleton
- She could possibly have a low calcium intake and low vitamin D levels
- The fact she is an elderly women; as women are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis because of the rapid decline in oestrogen levels during menopause.

Question 9
What parts of the skeleton (i.e. what bones) are most vulnerable to the ravages of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis weakens mostly bones with a large percentage of spongy bone. The parts of the skeleton which are most vulnerable to osteoporosis are:
- The vertebrae
- A major bone that is frequently fractured is the proximal femur due to

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