In fracture healing, the stage at which callus bridging the fracture gap consists primarily of woven bone and the fracture is clinically united but radiologically the line is still visible is called:

• A Fibrocartilaginous callus stage
• B Remodelling stage
• C Reactive phase
• D Hard callus (bony callus) stage ✓

Explanation

The hard callus stage follows the soft (fibrocartilaginous) callus stage; chondrocytes hypertrophy, matrix calcifies, and osteoblasts deposit woven bone, making the fracture clinically stable. The fracture line persists radiologically until remodelling by secondary osteonal bone replaces the woven bone. Remodelling is the final stage and can continue for years.

Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.