Is scar tissue always bad tissue?

Is scar tissue always bad tissue?  I think scar tissue has traditionally been thought of as a post-operative or post trauma problem.  But surgeons will often use scar tissue as a tool to rebuild damaged tissue.

One example of this technique in foot and ankle surgery is using scar tissue to rebuild the anterior talo-fibular ligament (ATF) in a Brostrom lateral ankle surgery.  Surgeons rely on adjacent tissue structures to repair the damaged ATF.

Brostrom lateral ankle stabilization

For more information on this technique visit the Myfootshop.com knowledge base pages on lateral ankle sprains and this discussion in The Foot Talk Forum.

Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM
Medical Director
Myfootshop.com

What’s a non-union of bone and how is it treated?

Whether a fracture is surgically induced or the result of trauma, fractures can heal more slowly than expected.  We’ll expect most fractures to heal in a period of 6-8 weeks.  But what if fracture healing takes a bit longer? 

If a fracture is not healed in 6 months, we begin to view the fracture as a delayed union.  Delayed unions have all the cellular potential to heal and can heal over time with just a little help.

If the presence of the fracture is still found at 12 months, we then term the fracture a non-union.  Non-unions can be viewed as a fracture where the body just ran out of time and energy in its’ attempt to heal.  Non-unions do need a bit of help healing.

For more information on delayed unions and non-union of bone, please join us in this discussion in The Foot Talk Forum on Myfootshop.com.

Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM
Medical Director
Myfootshop.com