Malunion & Nonunion of Fractures

A nonunion means a fracture has failed to heal even after many months. A malunion means it healed in a crooked, shortened or rotated position. Both cause ongoing pain, deformity and loss of function — and both can usually be corrected with the right surgery, even years later.

This is delicate revision work: understanding why the bone failed, correcting the biology or the alignment, and giving the fracture a stable, healthy environment to finally heal. It is one of Dr. Naik's core specialisations.

• Persistent pain at an old fracture site months after injury
• Movement or a 'giving way' sensation at the fracture site
• A limb that looks crooked, rotated or shorter than the other side
• Limping or inability to use the limb fully
• X-rays showing a persistent fracture line or poor alignment

Careful X-ray and CT evaluation shows whether the bone has united and in what position. Blood tests and sometimes tissue samples rule out hidden infection — a common and treatable cause of nonunion.

Nonunions are treated by refreshing the bone ends, adding bone graft, and re-fixing with stable implants. Malunions are corrected with an osteotomy — a planned, controlled re-break — to restore alignment, then fixed precisely. Infected nonunions need staged treatment to clear infection first.

Revision surgery takes patience: healing typically requires 3–6 months with protected loading and physiotherapy. The reward is substantial — most patients trade years of pain and deformity for a straight, strong, functional limb.