What causes 'woven bone' on chest x-ray after being diagnosed for broken ribs?
Patient: This year 30 Marcht my wife(63), heigt 1,74 meter weight 74 kilo fell backwards from a higth of  8 feet.She took an X ray. Her diagnosis was 2 broken ribs 8th rib front leftside and one rib right backside. After about 5 weeks her pain diminished to zero. Now since a week she experiences continually pain.Not especially by touch or breathing. She consulted her doctor  and took an X ray again. Diagnoses on 4 ribs left there was surprisingly so called  woven bone.  Is there an explanation? Doctor: hi,thank you for providing the brief history of your wife.As she is 63, and had a fall which lead to fracture of the 2 ribs at that time and now she is having woven bone on cest x-ray for 4 ribs, this makes us understand the weakness of the rib bones. As per the anatomy of the rib bone, it is a flat bone and healing for it is little slower. It is very less the ortho technology can really do as the location of the bones. What I feel is the weakness in the bones due to less of calcium has lead to this woven bony appearance in x-ray. Also, due to her age, the healing process can be delayed.What I would suggest is to check the calcium and vitamin D3 levels. Based on it there will be a supplements of calcium and also vitamin D3 injection too boost the physiological mechanism. Performing regular breathing exercises like costal will be helpful to boost the strength in the muscles and the bones.Since the rib bones are flat and cannot be made exercise by weight bearing of something there is only a simpler way to deal with it.In my clinical practice we treat such patients with woven bone with calcium supplement, vitamin D3 injection and breathing exercises. The process is slow but functions well even in ageing individual.Regards Jay Indravadan Patel