Asian Journal of Paleopathology Vol.3
Received: March 10, 2020
Accepted: May 22, 2020
DOI: 10.32247/ajp2020.3.2

Case Study
Two cases of pseudoarthroses of the tubular bones in ancient skeletons

Toshiyuki Tsurumoto, Kazunobu Saiki, Keiko Ogami-Takamura, Kazunori Tashiro, Tetsuaki Wakebe, Yoshiatsu Naito

Abstract
　A fracture without union of the fractured portion is called a pseudoarthrosis. If a pseudoarthrosis is formed in a limb bone, the individual will live the rest of their life with some disability. If it is an upper limb, daily life activities will be significantly limited. Pseudoarthrosis in a lower limb would significantly reduce the individual’s mobility. We examine one case of pseudoarthroses in the radius and ulna of the forearm, and the other case that occurred in the femur. In an ancient society, long bone fractures would often have resulted in deformed healing or pseudoarthroses. Whether the individual who suffered such a large or small handicap could survive would have depended on the group to which they belonged.