My femur has stopped healing (3 times)..is this normal?

Hello.  11 months ago I was in a car accident and broke my left femur in 2 places (on the top by my pelvis and in the middle).  After my first surgery, they put a titanium rod through my femur and a plate connecting the top of my femur with my pelvis.  

After about 5 months, my doctor told me the top of my femur was fully healed but the middle had stopped healing and he needed to go in and replace the rod with a bigger one to stimulate bone growth.  While in surgery, the doctor also put cadaver bone chips by the break to make things stronger.  Things were going okay, but my leg was still very weak (and I busted my butt in PT) when the doctor told me my femur again stopped healing.  

This leads me to my 3rd surgery, just 4 weeks ago.  This time, the doctor again removed the old rod and replaced it with a bigger one.  He also put more cadaver bone in and did a bone graph from my hip to place in the still broken part.  

Can anyone tell me if this sounds normal.  I did get a second opinion before the second surgery and that trauma surgeon also told me my femur stopped healing.  Thanks in advance for any help or insight.

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

The positive thing with you is the healing was good at the head of the femur so the problem is with the shaft where there was a fracture.

As you had complications during physiotherapy this might be a reason but with proper support and also with bone grafts this must aid in healing.

The healing depends on proper blood supply to both the fractured ends and also how the new anastomosis takes place for proper blood supply and healing. There are factors like age and weight bearing and the hardware and if all these are sorted out you would gradually heal.

Take care!

[kmcpaiz]

Hey Dr.  

Thanks for the reply.  Is there anything I can do to increase blood flow or help out my situation?  I am 38 y/o and I am pretty good shape.  Thanks again!

[Dr Vinod]

Hello,

After months of fracture, and surgical interventions you have to depend completely on your surgeon, his experience and the proper procedure adopted.

From your side you have to maintain complete hygiene so that you would not have any infections and also have proper diet and follow all the instructions properly.

Take care!

[Cordie523]

2 years ago, I crushed the bottom of my femur right at the knee and I have a rod on the femur with 5 screws and 7 screws in my knee. The rod is giving me all kinds of pain, not the knee. What could be causing this? Any suggestions.