Limb Fracture
Why you may need surgery for a fracture?
Fractures or broken bones are one of the most common problems seen and treated by orthopedic doctors. The severity of the fracture mostly depends on the force that caused the break. If the bone’s breaking point has been exceeded only slightly, the bone might just crack instead of breaking all the way through. If the force is extreme, such as that caused by a car crash, the bone may shatter. While a huge number of fractures may heal with casting or another type of immobilization, many other fractures will require surgery. Bone fracture surgical repair is performed when a broken bone can’t heal properly with splinting, casting, or bracing alone. Internal fixation is one of the most common types of fracture surgery, where broken pieces of bone are placed back in the right position using surgical screws, rods, pins, or plates.
What types of treatment methods can heal a fracture?
The doctor will likely use an X-ray to verify the diagnosis of the fracture. The treatment ways can be the following based on the type of fracture:
- Non-surgical treatments include: cast immobilization, functional cast or brace and traction.
- External Fixation
During this operation, the surgeon places metal pins or screws into the broken bone above and below the fracture site. These tools are connected to a metal bar outside the skin. This device can help stabilize and hold the bones in the proper position while they heal. - Open Reduction and Internal Fixation
In this type of operation, the surgeon first repositions the bone fragments into their normal alignment. The fragments might be held together with special screws or by attaching metal plates to the outer surface of the bone. Alternatively, the surgeon might insert rods down through the center of the bone to hold the fragments together.
What is recovery like after limb fracture surgery?
Depending on the severity of the injury and how well you follow the surgeon’s advice, fractures take several weeks to several months to heal.
- Pain usually stops much before being able to return to normal activity.
- Limitation of your movement is necessary until your bone is solid enough to handle the stresses of normal activity.
- Even after the removal of the cast or brace, you may need to continue limiting your movement.
- During the recovery, you will probably lose muscle strength and range of motion in the injured area.
- Your doctor will give you an exercise regimen to follow at home to help you restore normal muscle strength, joint motion, and flexibility.
- You will probably need to see your surgeon for a follow-up appointment a few days after the procedure.
How can you prevent some fractures?
- Proper diet and exercise may help to prevent some type of fractures.
- Bone strength can be promoted by a diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D.
- Weightbearing exercise can also support the strength of your bones.
Dr. Ahmed Gadallah has extensive experience in limb fracture surgery. He completed hundreds of operations successfully based on the most updated techniques.