[Parathyroid hormone injection to counteract delayed bone fractures].

CASE HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: Two women, aged 71 and 53 years with periprosthetic fractures of the left femur and an 18 year old man with a non-union of fracture of the left radius presented for assessment and treatment.

INVESTIGATIONS: Serial radiographs showed that osteosynthesis and/or autogenous bone-grafting and multiple revisions had not resulted in healing of the fractures.

TREATMENT AND CLINICAL COURSE: In all three patients parathyroid hormone (teriparatide), 20 to 60 microg, was injected subcutaneously once daily for 6 - 10 weeks. Subsequently a stable consolidation of the bone occurred in all of them.

CONCLUSION

Administration of parathyroid hormone can induce stable consolidation of the bone in non-unions and delayed healing of bone fractures.