•  Stage 1 - Haematoma formation - Immediately following trauma. A variable amount of bleeding from torn vessels; if the periosteum is torn this blood may extend into the surrounding muscles.

 

  •  Stage 2 - Traumatic inflammation - The tissue damage excites an inflammatory response, the exudate adding more fibrin to the clot already present. There is an increased blood flow and a polymorphonuclear leucocytic infiltration.(12hours)

 

  • Stage 3 - Demolition -  Macrophages invade the clot and remove the fibrin, red cells, inflammatory exudate and debris.(12-36 hours)

 

  • Stage 4 - Formation of granulation tissue - Following demolition there is an in growth of capillary loops and mesenchymal cells derived from the periosteum and the endosteum of the cancellous bone. This contributes to the granulation tissue formation.( <2 weeks)

 

  • Stage 5 - Woven bone and cartilage formation- The mesenchymal osteoblasts differentiate to form woven bone. The collagen fibers and ground substances laid by osteoblasts makes the callus hard. ( 2-3 weeks)

 

  • Stage 6 - Formation of lamellar bone - The disorganised collagen fibers are arranged in a lamellar fashion and more calcification occures.(1-3 months)

 

  • Stage 7 Remodelling - The continued osteoclastic removal and osteoblastic laying down of bone results in final bone formation.(>3 months)

 

 

The rate of healing of a fracture also depends on age, nutrition, site of fracture  and drugs.