Bone probs in my grandmother Docs/nurses HELP PLEASE!!!!!

[singingmum]

My grandmother broke her leg and has now been told that there is calcification on the bone which is causing her pain.
We need to know:-
How long does it take for the bone calcification to happen all around the bone?
Also what can be done for her(she is 80 and suffers from osteoarthritis)?
All answers would be helpful and much appreciated.Thanks

[Slubberdegullion]

Where is her fracture? Healing time for adults of straight forward fracture is around 6-8 weeks, but in the elderly this can take much longer, especially if the bone is osteoporotic (low bone density).

Treatment to help speed up fracture healing is gentle weight bearing (although if the fracture is very unstable she may be non weight bearing for a while), or possible internal fixation (an op to fix the bone ends together with wire/nails).

[singingmum]

It's just above the ankle.
The biggest prob is the calcification that has happened outside the joint.We have to know how long it takes so that we can work out approx when she did it as she won't telling us and we are a bit worried if she is not telling us about her health.We know that she fell a few years ago but not anything since.

[Slubberdegullion]

Oh, erm sorry a little confused. So this is an old fracture that has caused some extra bone production in the ankle joint (and is causing her pain)?
A good radiologist should be able to give a reasonably good estimate of how old a fracture is.

[singingmum]

We aren't sure if it is an old fracture(she had a fall as I say but it turns out no x-rays were taken we don't know why)but now she hasn't mentioned any accidents and the docs said prob broken in last few months but she says it has hurt for longer.We are hoping that if we can find out how long it would take for a bone to calcify so that it surrounds the bone very noticably(my mum has seen the x-ray)we will be able to find out what she is not telling us as we have been worried about her for a while

[Slubberdegullion]

Ah Ok, well no easy answer to that I'm afraid as healing rates (esp in the elderly) do vary greatly (depending on all sorts of factors eg. height, weight, level of mobility pre fracture). If you really want to try and pin the time of the break down (by x-ray) then a radiologist is the person to speak to.

If you are concerned that she is not coping or falling then is probably best to have a frank conversation with her and then speak with her named nurse and or consultant who will advise on further referrals (ie to falls clinic/social services etc).

[singingmum]

My mum has just found out that the radiologist said that the break had happened when my grandmother fell a few years yrs ago but the doc has now said that it only happened in last 3 months.Am guessing we need to get second opinion.Thanks