Prevention
How We Can Help You for Nonunions and Malunions
A nonunion is a fracture (bone break) that doesn’t heal, and a malunion is a fracture that heals incorrectly.
The board-certified orthopaedic specialists of Stanford Health Care have extensive experience treating people with malunions or nonunions.
The members of our multispecialty team develop a complete, compassionate care plan customized to your condition. The goal of the plan is to help relieve your symptoms, which may include pain that won’t go away. In addition to relieving symptoms, your personalized care plan is designed to help support your healing and the best quality of life possible.
Stanford Health Care patients with malunions or nonunions also may have opportunities to participate in research studies of new treatment approaches not yet available anywhere else.
What We Offer You For Nonunions and Malunions
- Center of Excellence for advanced care of malunions or nonunions and the full range of orthopaedic conditions.
- Nationally recognized expertise in treating all cases of malunions or nonunions, no matter how complex.
- Precise diagnosis including a complete medical history and physical exam, plus use of the latest imaging technology, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and computerized tomography (CT) scans.
- Team-based treatment planning that brings together orthopaedic trauma surgeons, physical therapists, and other specialists to tailor care to your needs.
- Advanced treatment options emphasizing nonsurgical approaches such as medication, physical therapy, and electrical bone growth stimulation. When needed, we also offer minimally invasive surgical procedures performed by our renowned orthopaedic trauma surgeons.
- Comprehensive support services including care coordination from diagnosis to treatment to follow-up.
- Active research program to develop new diagnostic and treatment advances to help people with malunions or nonunions.
Treatment for Nonunions and Malunions
When a fracture (bone break) doesn’t heal properly, it can worsen pain and other symptoms that keep you from the activities you enjoy. We can help. Our nationally recognized orthopaedic trauma surgeons successfully treat some of the most severe injuries that face healing challenges.
Our specialists use sophisticated technology to diagnose nonunions (when a fracture doesn’t heal) and malunions (when it heals incorrectly). Our expertise in treating rare and complex injuries helps us pinpoint the precise problem causing your symptoms.
We guide you to the therapies most likely to offer meaningful relief. Our renowned surgeons perform intricate procedures to repair damaged tissues and realign shifting bones. We work with you on ways to support bone healing and help you live your life on your terms.
Our experts successfully target and treat fracture problems. We perform sophisticated surgeries to encourage healing and give you relief.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Surgery
Conservative therapies (such as medication or physical therapy) may effectively treat minor malunions or nonunions. Your doctor may recommend you try:
Electrical bone growth stimulation: Placing an electrical bone growth stimulator over the area where you fractured your bone may jump-start healing. The stimulator generates a weak electrical current, which promotes growth in the bones underneath. Your doctor may recommend wearing this small device for a certain amount of time each day.
Medication: Taking over-the-counter or prescribed pain medication may temporarily relieve pain due to a nonunion or malunion, but it won’t fix the problem. If your pain persists, our specialists work with you to find a long-term solution.
Your doctor may recommend one or more procedures to address the cause of your symptoms. Treatment for a nonunion or malunion depends on your injury (the types of bones or other tissues injured, and how badly). Surgery may effectively stabilize shifting bones, promote new bone growth, or treat an infection.
Orthopaedic surgeons at Stanford Medicine rank among the best in the U.S. They have extensive experience performing intricate procedures such as bone reconstruction, using both traditional (open) and minimally invasive techniques. Your doctor will walk you through all treatment options, and we’ll decide together on the right way forward for you.
Nonunion and malunion procedures
Internal fixation: Surgeons carefully move previously fractured bones into the proper place, using metal plates or other tools to stabilize the area. Our surgeons may remove any existing metal pieces (if needed) and place larger or stronger metal implants into the affected area. Once the injured bones are stabilized, they are more likely to heal properly.
Osteotomy: Surgeons shave down abnormal bone pieces, reshaping the surface of bones to correct deformities or differences in limb length.
Bone grafting: Surgeons transplant healthy bone tissue (from somewhere else on your body or a donor) into the fracture site. The tissue may fill gaps between bones or repair damaged tissue. The chemicals inside the fresh bone cells also trigger new bone growth, helping your body heal the fracture.
Conservative therapies (such as medication or physical therapy) may effectively treat minor malunions or nonunions. Your doctor may recommend you try:
Electrical bone growth stimulation: Placing an electrical bone growth stimulator over the area where you fractured your bone may jump-start healing. The stimulator generates a weak electrical current, which promotes growth in the bones underneath. Your doctor may recommend wearing this small device for a certain amount of time each day.
Medication: Taking over-the-counter or prescribed pain medication may temporarily relieve pain due to a nonunion or malunion, but it won’t fix the problem. If your pain persists, our specialists work with you to find a long-term solution.
close Nonsurgical Treatment
Your doctor may recommend one or more procedures to address the cause of your symptoms. Treatment for a nonunion or malunion depends on your injury (the types of bones or other tissues injured, and how badly). Surgery may effectively stabilize shifting bones, promote new bone growth, or treat an infection.
Orthopaedic surgeons at Stanford Medicine rank among the best in the U.S. They have extensive experience performing intricate procedures such as bone reconstruction, using both traditional (open) and minimally invasive techniques. Your doctor will walk you through all treatment options, and we’ll decide together on the right way forward for you.
Nonunion and malunion procedures
Internal fixation: Surgeons carefully move previously fractured bones into the proper place, using metal plates or other tools to stabilize the area. Our surgeons may remove any existing metal pieces (if needed) and place larger or stronger metal implants into the affected area. Once the injured bones are stabilized, they are more likely to heal properly.
Osteotomy: Surgeons shave down abnormal bone pieces, reshaping the surface of bones to correct deformities or differences in limb length.
Bone grafting: Surgeons transplant healthy bone tissue (from somewhere else on your body or a donor) into the fracture site. The tissue may fill gaps between bones or repair damaged tissue. The chemicals inside the fresh bone cells also trigger new bone growth, helping your body heal the fracture.
close Surgery
INTERESTED IN AN ONLINE SECOND OPINION?
The Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion program offers you easy access to our world-class doctors. It’s all done remotely, and you don’t have to visit our hospital or one of our clinics for this service. You don’t even need to leave home!
Visit our online second opinion page to learn more.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future.
What Are Nonunions and Malunions?
Our Clinics
Nationally recognized orthopaedic trauma surgeons at Stanford Health Care specialize in treating the most complex injuries, including fractures that don’t heal correctly. We use the latest surgical advances to diagnose and treat all types of nonunions and malunions.
450 Broadway St
450 Broadway StRedwood City, CA 94063
Phone: 650-723-5643 Getting Here
To schedule an appointment, please call 650-723-5643.