Fracture Surgery

"There is no class of injuries which a Practitioner approaches with more doubt and misgivings than fractures, or one which demands a greater amount of ready knowledge, self reliance, and consummate skill. Constant in their occurrence, and often extremely difficult of diagnosis and management they frequently involve consequences hardly less serious and disastrous to the surgeon than to the patient. There is certainly no other branch of surgery which requires a more thorough knowledge of topographical anatomy, a nicer sense of discrimination, a calmer judgement, a more enlarge experience, or a greater share of vigilance and attention: in a word none which demands a higher combination of surgical tact and power. Dispite the most assiduous attention and the best directed efforts,the patient is likely to become deformed for life"

*The text above is from Gross, S.D., A system of surgery: Pathological, diagnostic, theraputic, and operative, ed. 6, Philadelphia, Henry C. Lea's son & Co., 1882. Vol.2p.94

Fractures are broken bones. Fractures cause pain and make it difficult or impossible to use the part of the body that is injured. The treatment of a fracture depends upon the type and location of the fracture, if there are other injuries, and how serious those injuries are.

Our goal at Ortho Medical Associates is to have a completely healed bone with anatomical alignment with full functions as before sustaining fracture. The broken pieces must be put back into the perfect anatomical position either by surgically produced compression at fracture site or by other conservative means and kept in proper alignment until healing is completed.

X-rays help determine the proper diagnosis and type of treatment. Sometimes fractures do not affect bone alignment and only require protection of the bone with a splint or cast while it heals. However, if the fractured bone is not lined up correctly, it may need to be reduced. This means re-aligning the bone. A closed reduction re-aligns a bone by manipulation without surgery. Sometimes it is not possible for the provider to get the bones in the right position with a closed reduction. If this happens, traction can be put on the bones to gently pull them into position. Traction is usually used for a short period of time and before other forms of treatment are used.The most common treatment is a plaster or fiberglass cast. Casts are used for bones that are in the correct position. A cast holds the broken bone in position and prevents movement of the bone while it heals.

Surgical Treatment of Fractures

Some fractures are treated surgically on following guidelines:

1. Surgical Anatomical Reduction

2. Rigid interval fixation with metallic implants

3. Early mobilization to prevent disuise atrophy of musculoskeletal tissue and to prevent other complications including future disabilities

At Ortho Medical Associates we not only provide consultations with our Orthopaedic Surgeon who has over 30 years experience in fracture management, we also provide X-ray services and then discuss all conservative and operative plans along with physical therapy.

We also provide emergency services.

Please call 268 462 2219.