Forteo Treats Atypical Fractures of the Femur

Patients, Primary Care Docs, and Orthopedic Surgeons all worry about bone surgery while on Osteoporosis Medications.  They also worry about Atypical Fractures of the Femur (AFF).  There is one medication that actually helps bone healing and is routinely used to treat AFF.  That is the Anabolic, Forteo.

Atypical Fracture of the Femur is quite rare.  AFF has become less rare since we started treating osteoporosis with Antiresorptive Osteoporosis Medications.  Typical Femur Fractures are still about 100 times as common – and we can prevent over half of those with Antiresorptive Osteoporosis Medications.

AFF is a Stress Fracture, usually just below the hip, that starts on the lateral side of the Femur.  It is a small crack, which can gradually spread across the bone.

The best treatment for a stress fracture is stimulating the cells that make new bone (OsteoBlasts) and also stimulating the cells that gobble up bone (OsteoClasts).  This increases bone turnover, which is needed for healing a fracture, especially a stress fracture.

Forteo is the only Anabolic we currently have in the USA.  Forteo is routinely used to treat AFF before, as well as after, the fracture.  It is also used to treat other stress fractures  such as metatarsals in the feet and “shin splints” in the proximal shaft of tibia.

Forteo is also commonly used to enhance healing in osteoporotic patients in spine fusions and in total joint replacement.

If you need increased bone turnover, increased bone matrix formation, or enhanced healing of osteoporotic bone, consider the Anabolic, Forteo.

Jay Ginther, MD

Categorised in: Fracture, Medications