Secondary (classical) bone healing.

The principal determinants of the resolution of any wound are the type and extent of injury, the regenerative capacity of the constituent cells, and the extent of damage to the extracellular matrix. As stated previously, in the repair of a fracture, anything other than the final formation of bone tissue at the fracture site represents incomplete healing. Nature has provided bone with a remarkable array of mechanisms by which to effect fracture repair. An understanding of secondary (classical) bone healing is important to prevent any untoward effects that might ensue if an injury were left untreated, to select a form of fracture treatment that would complement nature's mechanisms, and to facilitate the interpretation of sequential radiographs obtained to evaluate the healing process.