A Case Report on Teriparatide Treatment in Non-Uniting Fracture

The purpose of this case report is to elucidate the Indian experience of 5 cases of use of Teriparatide for fracture healing - delayed unions and non-unions and in the setting of osteoporotic fracture. Impaired healing of fractures delays the rehabilitation process, which in turn impacts quality of life. The associated costs cause an economic burden to both the society and the patients. Till date, no systemic treatment is approved for fracture healing. Teriparatide is a synthetic polypeptide hormone consisting of the 1–34 fragment of human parathyroid hormone. Apart from its recognized indication of osteoporosis, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting its ability to accelerate fracture healing and heal non-unions. The primary observation of our case report depicts that teriparatide is a viable therapy not only to treat osteoporosis but also to accelerate fracture healing. Teriparatide therapy accelerates healing, which allows patients to return to normal life and work faster, optimizes medical resource utilization, reduces chances for future second surgery, requirement of bone graft and overall chronic morbidity associated with long-term treatment. Teriparatide therapy has several advantages: it can be recommended for any type of fracture, including those that will be treated non-surgically; it can be started at any time; and it can be used throughout the healing process. Our findings are consistent with those of earlier research that have looked at the impact of Teriparatide on delayed and non-unions in humans.