Why might a patient with Type 2 Diabetes have an increased risk of complications from a scaphoid fracture?

A patient with Type 2 Diabetes is often associated with various physiological changes that can impact healing processes, particularly in the context of fractures. The correct concept here is that individuals with diabetes frequently experience decreased healing ability due to factors such as poor blood circulation, impaired immune function, and altered inflammatory responses. High glucose levels can compromise collagen synthesis and other components necessary for effective bone healing. This ultimately means that when someone with Type 2 Diabetes suffers a scaphoid fracture, their body may not repair the bone as efficiently as a person without diabetes, resulting in a higher risk of complications like nonunion or malunion.

While hyperglycemia is a concern as it can have detrimental effects on overall health and healing, it is the specific impairment in the healing processes that is more directly relevant to complications arising from fractures. The other alternatives do not align with typical characteristics of diabetes; for example, individuals with Type 2 Diabetes often have decreased bone density rather than increased, and higher physical activity levels are not typically associated with this patient population in relation to their diabetes management. Thus, the key issue stems from the general healing ability being decreased rather than factors like elevated activity or bone density.